Served Cold
by Lolo84
Summary: Edward thought the trip to Hawaii was a way to reconcile with his ex-wife; get to know her family. But when a past betrayal comes to light, he decides it may be time to dish up a little payback. Little does he know, her goddaughter—who's harbored a grudge for the better part of a decade—feels the same. And you know how revenge is best served.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi peeps! Is anyone around? Happy Halloween! I'm sitting at home with hardly any trick or treaters :-( **

**Anyway! **

**So … this is my 'kind of' new story. I've been sitting on it for a long time now with no idea what to do with it, but my apprehension with this site couldn't outweigh my wanting to share something with you guys since I haven't updated in a long time.**

**A few things to keep in mind - this is an Olderward story (about 13 year age difference btwn E/B) and once upon a time I thought about entering a short version of this in one of the 'Forbidden Contests' (which means their tie to each other is wonky). With that said, I think you know what time it is, and if this isn't your type of fic, feel free to hit the switch. No hard feelings :-)**

**This is unbeta'd. All EPOV. Prewritten and will update 1-2 times a week.**

****I hope you like it.** **

**Happy reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>SERVED COLD<strong>

**1.**

At the ass crack of dawn, and halfway through my morning routine, I was stopped short by the doorbell. My friends never dropped by unannounced, and while the sun was still rising, so I knew who it was as soon as the bell rang.

My heart slammed against my chest, and the toothpaste went stale. I was nervous as hell, but more than that, I was in a spiteful mood. So I'd continued getting ready for work, hoping she'd get frozen out by the cold and go away.

I should have known better.

Minutes passed with the incessant knocking grating on my nerves and making my eye twitch. While a few ideas came to mind about what to do, calling the cops while laughing my ass off at watching her get dragged away would've only caused me more drama and heartache in the end. So with a clenched jaw, I took a deep breath and opened my front door. Doubling it as a shield, I used the wooden frame to protect myself from the blasts of March wind and from the bitch standing on the other side.

Taking Angela in, my eyes narrowed. She looked as beautiful as she always did. Sky high boots with leather that stopped past her knees; long hair flowed down past her fur coat. And her signature bright, red lipstick was in place—sticking out against her tan skin, and almost begging to be sucked.

The expectant look on her face told me she was there to ask me for something. Money. A quick fuck. I wasn't sure which, but she'd only been bothering to come around now when she needed one of the two. Months ago, I would've felt different, might have been happy to see her, but today she'd wasted her time.

"No." I smirked as her eyes bulged out, eyebrows shot up, and mouth dropped.

For a good six months, whatever she'd asked me for I've given to her with no questions asked and for no other reason than to get her out of my face.

Before that, I spent years letting her dick me around and fuck with my emotions—control me. She had a hold over me I couldn't explain. My boys and my parents straight up told me I was obsessed, infatuated even. Pussy whipped. I disagreed, but whatever you called what we had, one thing was certain: whatever my wife wanted, I broke my back to make sure she got it. But that shit was over now.

"But—but you haven't even given me the chance to say anything."

"Because I don't care. It's too early to deal with your shit. So ..." I tried to close the door, but she threw her glove-covered hand against it with a loud smack.

"Please. Five minutes. It's freezing, please let me come in." Behind her light brown eyes I saw the unmistakable look of desperation—something uncharacteristic of her.

I caved with a frustrated sigh. "Fine. Come in. Five minutes." But ten minutes later she was still on my couch complaining and whining in my ear. "Remember what I said when you first got here? The word 'no'? Yeah, still applies."

"Edward." Her voice dropped, giving way to shock mixed with an undertone of sincerity. "We planned this vacation months ago. I can't afford to lose out on these tickets. No one can."

I scoffed, knowing she was full of shit. Angela came from a good stock of money. Plus, whatever she got from me. So finances and "not being able to afford" losing the tickets was her blowing smoke up my ass for sure.

I had a handful of guesses as to what she was up to. The first one being ... "So you want me to what, give you, your sister, and your friend the house? Is that why you're here? For the key?"

"No, no I—of course not," she stammered. "I … I guess I thought you'd want to come, too."

"The fuck I'd wanna do that for?"

She paused, blinking before she blurted, "For us. This could be a good thing for us."

"Because we're on such good terms, right?" I snorted. "You're delusional. Time's up."

"No, listen." She grabbed a hold on my arm, halting my attempt to get up off the couch. "Think about why we didn't work out."

"Oh, you mean because you were ungrateful and resentful of my job?" I twisted the top half of my body to face her, lifting up my thumb. "Acted too busy for me when I tried to make time for us?" I added, ticking off my pointer finger. "Or because you were hanging out with Caius all the fucking time?"

The latter of reasons—her spending time with a rival colleague of mine—obviously hurt and pissed me off the most. Me and Caius Volturi weren't friends—barely acquaintances even. And though I never had proof of what happened between them, guys know these things; and the looks the smug asshole always shot me during meetings, or when Angela stopped by the office, was always enough to have my hackles rise, my fist clenching, and my mind envisioning different ways to fuck his shit up.

"I was lonely." She protested with a sniffle. "As for Caius, you have to believe me that nothing happened. I just—I needed a friend, y'know. You have no idea how lonely I felt in this house with you always away."

With that—and despite my aggravation with her—a part of my heart cracked at the broken sound of Angela's voice. There was no denying the unnecessary drama she constantly brought into everything, but I couldn't deny the part I played in our downfall, too.

As a kid, I was obsessed with buildings. Growing up, designing was second nature. So becoming an architect was a no-brainer. It was a struggle at first, but when the time came, and I got a big boost in my career, I considered working day in and day out the past few years a blessing.

Unfortunately, my hard work, that I thought was for us, wasn't enough. And after spending the entire summer fighting I wasn't surprised when Angela served me with divorce papers. Less surprising for me was that I signed so willingly. Things had been going through in record time bringing mixed feelings of relief and devastation. No one wants to see hard work of any kind go to waste, and divorce felt like a fucking failure.

"This is our chance," Angela whispered, bringing my attention back to her. "Every day I regret not fighting harder. Not making time for us. Don't you?" I had to admit I'd wondered the same thing—if maybe I'd given in too easily. "This is our time to see if maybe we jumped to end things too soon."

"Do you really mean that?" My lips formed into a semi hopeful, but still skeptical, smile. "You'd want to work on things? For real?"

Despite my exhaustion, hurt, and fury, nothing took away the fact I was lonely. I wasn't sure I wanted my wife back, specifically, but I did want someone in my life. What good were accomplishments, reaching your goals and living your dreams, when you had no one to come home to and share them with?

I grew up watching how my parents held each other down. My father was my mother's rock—she was his biggest cheerleader. Sure they fought like anyone else did, but they always came out solid—stronger from it.

That's what I wanted in my life, too.

So in that moment, I was thinking that even though Angela and I had been through a lot of shit over the past eight years, getting back with her would be easier than me having to get to know someone else's quirks, and them mine, at this stage in my life.

There was absolutely nothing appealing about the idea of starting over at thirty-four. Which was probably why I was willing to settle for tolerance in a relationship than at having no one at all. Convincing myself happiness existed as nothing more than a state of mind came easy. And with that came the notion that if I was happy with Angela once, I could get myself there again.

But there was still something that nagged at me about this sudden desperation of hers to see her family. She never cared this much before.

"You don't even talk to them." I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

Angela and her family had a serious falling out a long time ago. Serious to the point they couldn't get their shit together and sorted long enough to come to our wedding. As the only child to two people who also had no siblings, I had no uncles, aunts, or cousins to speak of. I clung to my family with a vise grip, and I always found it strange how neither Angela, or her sister, ever reached out to each other. Especially given the fact both their parents were dead.

We never discussed the reason she didn't speak to them, but I knew enough that it was over a guy. I just never saw the need to push the subject any more than necessary. One thing I held fast to were my beliefs that people's pasts didn't matter. Angela knew I wasn't a saint before I met her. Since she never ask for specifics, neither did I.

But I hedged on; something still not sitting right with me."If you want to work on us, doesn't it make more sense for it to just _be us_ on this trip?"

"I thought about that, really. But this is a chance for me to reconcile with everyone. I mean, I'm still shocked Renee even agreed to make the trip." She started sniffling again at the mention of her friend. "And I haven't seen Isabella since she was twelve. It's been ten years. Please, Edward. It would make me happy if everyone was there, too."

I glared at her, looking for traces of any of her emotions being crocodile tears. For once, I couldn't tell. A part of me still wanted to protest, and was about to—but I couldn't. Those words, "it would make me happy," always had a way of making me do the most asinine things. And she knew it, too.

But I couldn't find my voice—either to tell her yes or to fuck off. So I settled for, "You should go. I need to get ready for work."

"Oh, OK." She blanched at my dismissal. But by the look she gave me as she walked out, she knew she'd gotten to me.

* * *

><p><strong>So, what do you think?<strong>

**The chapters will all be about this length (Around 1,500-2K words). **

**The story as a whole isn't all that long, but will be updating 1-2 times a week, and, again, it'll all be EPOV. It's prewritten so updates will be steady. I'm publishing crap and also doing NanoWriMo – so I won't be adding any new stories (ever again) unless it's already complete. I've learned that lesson thanks to my hiatused fics that I can't figure out how to continue. SMH. **

**Anyway, that's enough out of me! **

**Until Next Time,**

**~Lo**


	2. Chapter 2

**Good morning! So, I know I'd said I'll be updating 1-2 times a week, but I think I like Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. *Nods* So, that's what we're gonna do. Which means I'll be hitting complete by the end of the month since this is ficlet status. **

**Happy Sunday and Happy reading! :-)**

* * *

><p><strong>SERVED COLD<strong>

**2.**

That day at work, it was obvious my mind was a clusterfuck. So obvious, in fact, that my colleague and best friend, Emmett, went out of his way to give me shit. Well, more than any other day.

"Rough day?"

With my head still down and my eyes focusing on a blueprint spread out across my desk, I sighed and said, "Angela came through this morning."

"What did that bitch want?"

Looking up from my desk, I gave him a silent 'really?' look.

To which he shrugged. "What? She's trifling. I know it. You know it, and even she knows it. She's—"

"Keep talking."

Angela might have been all those things, for real. But she was technically still my wife. He had no choice but to respect that. The extra fifty pounds he had on my one-eighty, didn't faze me when it came to shit like that, either, and he knew this.

"All right." He smiled, raising both hands up. "So, she came through—what she say?"

"Remember that trip I talked about a few months ago?"

His forehead crinkled and he frowned. "I assumed that idea was dead."

"Yeah," I scoffed, "Me too."

"I still can't understand why the fuck you'd want to go on a trip with your ex and her family? I don't even wanna go on a trip with my Rosie. Let alone her family. Meanwhile, she's still my wife, and my in-laws actually like me."

"Angela's family doesn't _not_ like me."

"But that's because they never met you. I wish I had that problem."

I stared at him, wondering if he heard himself when he spoke or ever thought about what he said beforehand. My guess was no.

He was right, though—everything screamed at me that this was a bad idea.

Originally, the trip to Hawaii was supposed to be a family vacation for Angela, her sister, and her friend Renee. In addition to that, it was an early graduation gift for Renee's daughter who was Angela's goddaughter. Somehow along the way, I got added to the plans, but the 'vacation redo' had long since been called off.

In truth, I wanted a vacation—needed one, in fact—but not with my almost ex-wife's family.

"You going?" Emmett asked.

"I don't know."

"Come on, man." He laughed. "Yes, you do. That's why you're bringing it up and been moping around here like a little bitch all day."

"I haven't been—"

"You want my advice?" No, I didn't, but I waved my hands for him to go ahead with it. I knew it wasn't a matter of _if_ he'd give me advice so much as it was a matter of _when_. "Go. See what she wants. Or …" Emmett got a psychotic glint in his eyes, a twisted smile on his face. "Go down there, fuck her sister and be like … Ta-Dow, how you like me now!"

_Tadow, how you like me now? _I threw a hand up in what could have been mistaken as a request for a high five, but he knew the universal sign for shut the fuck up "First, it's 2014. Come back to us. Second, really?"

"I'd do it."

"Yeah, I know you would."

"Then get on my level."

A loud knock on the door cut off out laughter. I looked up and saw Caius —of all fucking people—standing there with one of his smug looks on his face. I never understood how someone who carried themselves the way he did, could ever pull off smug. He had that corporate, asshole, wonder boy look—the cardigan sweater vest and glasses that didn't work with his pale face—but somehow he was convinced his shit didn't stink.

"Can we fucking help you?"

"Last time I checked, Mr. McCarty ..." He glared at Emmett from behind his glasses. "You have a design and proposal to resubmit, don't you?"

Emmett rolled his neck from side to side, balling up his fist but didn't say anything. Had Caius not been one of the principals-in-charge, he would've had his ass handed to him a while ago.

"We're in the middle of something," I said. "Get out of my office."

"It's imperative we talk."

"I'm sure it can wait."

"Oh, but it can't. It's about the Rutherford building." His smile said it all—he knew he had me.

Nostrils flaring, and shoulders tensed, I asked Emmett to give us a minute. I couldn't ignore and argue with Caius for too long because, asshole or not, he was good at his shit—getting clients in the door. And when we weren't competing over projects, we've come up with some of the best designs the firm has ever seen. Together, we've spent months trying to acquire the old, almost run down hotel. However, we had other firms fighting for it, too. We were up against a lot and didn't have time to waste.

"What's the problem?"

"Okay, so we've hit a few issues with the original design we pitched. I was thinking ..."

Close to an hour of working on the revisions later, Caius's tense, focused posture changed. Letting out a long breath, his shoulders sagged, and he removed his glasses to rub at the bridge of his nose.

"Ed, listen—"

"My name is not fucking Ed, and you're not my boy—fuck off with the nicknames and let's get this over with."

"I know you don't like me or trust me," Caius rushed out.

"You got that fucking right."

"However, I want you to rest assured nothing ever happened with me and Sage."

"Say my wife's name one more time, assh—"

"I mean no disrespect." He put his hands up in a defensive stance. "All I'm saying is I know you guys are going through a divorce." I bit my tongue, literally, and my jaw tensed. One word, one fucking wrong word … "I also know she's taking that hard and has asked for you guys to go on a trip together."

I let out a dry chuckle. "For someone who was never involved with her, you sure as shit know a lot about what's going on in my life and my marriage."

"A marriage you're letting your pride ruin."

"Get out."

"My point is ..." he continued, oblivious to the beat down he was this close to getting. "You might not trust me, but I don't have a vested interest in Angela to lie to you. We're friends. She loves you, and she's trying. Are you?"

Well, aint that about a bitch.

It's pretty fucking sad when another man—one you don't even like—has to be the one to open your eyes and call you out about your own damn relationship.

So that's how, nearly a month later, I found myself on a plane heading from O'Hare to Honolulu international airport.

* * *

><p><strong>OF COURSE he was gonna go to Hawaii ... it says so in the summary LOL so I guess it's not that much of a surprise. <strong>

**If you're looking for any of my other fics, I have PDF's of mostly all my completes available for download on my blog. **

****So, what do you think?****

****Thanks for reading, the reviews, and the girls I already see pimping! Muah! :- *****

****Until Next Time,****

****~Lo****


	3. Chapter 3

**SERVED COLD**

**3.**

I hate flying—always have, always will. Why? Because I always got seated by an unfortunate mouth breather; a crying, vomiting baby; the sweet, old lady who wants my whole life story and makes ignoring her impossible, or my personal favorite: the asshole that doesn't understand the concept of a personal bubble and acts like your arm rest was custom made for him alone. Even when I sprung for first class seats, I would be smushed against the window, or hanging on for dear life in an attempt to not topple over the side of my seat.

My body's reaction to being thousands of miles up in the air was no better. My ears popped, stomach flipped, and my heart tried beating its way out of my fucking chest. I wasn't a good person to fly with, so the best thing was always for me to pop a pill and knock out to spare myself, and any company, the agony.

On the way to Hawaii, that's exactly what the fuck I did.

Mentally, I felt like I'd closed my eyes one minute and the next a flight attendant was shaking me awake. But physically, it felt like a throwback to my hung-over, college days.

With barely any energy to get through baggage claim, I took a cab to the house.

When I got there, the first thing I heard was the sound of water splashing.

"Edward!"

With a tired nod, I acknowledged Angela's squeal, calling back out to her that I would be right out once I got my bags inside. My flight felt like it took a lot longer than nine hours, but I still wasn't in a rush to run over and greet her. Being that I hadn't seen her in the month since she'd shown up at my house that morning, it pricked at me that I wasn't as happy to be there, or see Angela as I had thought I would. I needed a moment to dissect that shit.

As soon as I made my way inside, I dropped my bags by the doorway, and took a moment to appreciate the home I'd built.

Since I'd leased it out over the years, details had been changed. For the most part, though, I was still staring at my vision come to life.

"I can't believe I forgot how cute this house was."

My smile dropped and turning my head I openly glared at Angela. "Cute?" I'd spent months designing this fucking four bedroom, ranch style house—because she didn't like stairs—and she chooses to call it 'cute'. I don't know why that pissed me off so much. But I guess that was the architecture nerd in me expecting her to appreciate the details and my passion for it. Something she never did. Irritation flowed through me, though, at how someone could see the Macassar Ebony wooden floors, high vaulted ceilings, crown molding, bay windows and not appreciate the fine craftsmanship. But … "Whatever. I'm probably selling it anyway."

"What. Why?" she screeched.

I winced; not sure what to make of how shocked she seemed to be at the idea.

Truth be told, I would have moved to Hawaii in a heartbeat, but moving required starting over. Not something I was willing to do or even entertain with no driving force behind it. Plus, I had the house in the city. "Don't need a vacation home." I didn't see the need to provide her with a deep monologue of my reasons. "I rarely go on them."

"That's one of your problems."

I snorted and chose not to respond; sure she didn't want me highlighting her 'problems'.

"You should give it to me, then."

"Yeah, right."

So quick I almost missed it, her face fell. But she composed herself quickly and pulled me toward the master bedroom. "So, umm ... how do you want to, you know ... do the sleeping arrangements?"

I looked around the room and spared a glance at the king sized bed, before tilting my head toward at the bathroom, then back at her. "What do you mean?"

"I just think—" she started, then stopped.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe I should hang out in one of the guestrooms."

I started to ask her why; thought about fighting with her even, but exhaustion from the flight, and no desire to get into a debate with her stopped me. "Fine," I said, defeated.

"Hey," she whispered, cradling my face in her hands. "I just think it'd be good for us to miss each other. Make each other work for it."

I'd been living alone for months and felt alone for much longer than that. I wasn't sure how much more she wanted us to 'miss' each other, or 'work for it.' Yet, the more I looked at her, the more I stood in her company and allowed memories to start floating back to me, the less my will to fight.

"It's fine." I pulled my face away. "Whatever you want." It was always whatever she wanted.

With a quick kiss on my cheek, she walked out of the room and made her way back outside. Not before throwing out a quick comment about how I should save room for her on the side of the bed, anyway.

I huffed, sighed, then sat on the edge of the bed with my head in my hands. Angela had a way of making me feel pathetic at the same time she made me feel needed and wanted. A weird combination I struggled to understand over the years.

After a few minutes of pathetic wallowing about my wife—well almost ex-wife—not wanting me, I rolled my eyes at myself and hopped in the shower. Then, I changed into a more comfortable outfit—a wife beater and khaki shorts—before making my way outside where I collided head to chest with a short person.

"Hey, watch where you're—" The victim of my head on collision stilled, and her eyes widened. Big, brown, and doe-eyed. "I'm sorry."

"No worries." I brought a hand to my chest with a polite and apologetic smile. "My fault actually. Which one are you?"

"Huh?"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Bella."

"Ah." I nodded. "The goddaughter." Ignoring the way her eyes narrowed at me and her shoulders squared, I held my hand out. "I'm Edward. I'm ..." I paused, not knowing how to introduce myself. The idea of saying 'your godmother's husband', or 'your uncle' - which I wasn't - sent an almost bitter taste to my mouth. So, I settled on, saying, "This is my place."

"I know who you are." She grinned. "You're my ..."

"Yeah." I agreed, quickly. "That's me."

"Well ..." Her gaze trailed from the top of my head all the way down to the floor, and back to my face. "Nice to meet you." Then, with a slow turn she sauntered off.

The realization I was watching her walk away didn't dawn on me until she stopped, looked over her shoulder, pushed some of her dark hair behind her ear, and shot me a wink before continuing on her way.

_Shit. _

Gulping, I tried to ignore the way her hips swayed in her small, black bikini and sent an awkward wave back to her.

"Nice to meet you, too!"

* * *

><p><strong>Sooo ... that's Bella :-) <strong>

**Have you figured it out that Edward isn't really a smooth guy in this fic? Lol. Got any hints at to what Angela's up to, yet? Too early to tell? Lemme know!**

**Thanks for reading! See ya Friday! **

**Until Next Time,**

**~Lo **


	4. Chapter 4

**SERVED COLD**

**4.**

"What are we doing for dinner tonight?" I walked into the kitchen, asking.

Through experience, I'd learned that pale redheads had no business hanging out in the sun for the hell of it. So while the girls spent half the day outside, I'd waited inside, made a few calls and informed Emmett that I had no plans on fucking Renee or Angela's sister, Alice.

After that enlightening conversation, I'd snuck in a quick nap. So I wasn't sure what the plans for the night were.

"Oh ... umm ..." Angela looked around the room before focusing back on me. "I think, well ... we were talking about doing a girls night out."

I was immediately pissed. They'd all been there a couple days, and the way she was acting made it seem like it was a 'girls only' vacation. Someone should have given me the memo.

The air stayed silent for a few seconds before Bella and Tia—Alice's daughter—walked in the kitchen and snorted at hearing the tail end of the conversation.

"You can count me out." Tia glared at her aunt. "But have fun," she added in what sounded like an overly fake, sweet voice.

"Yeah, I pass, too," Bella said, sounding bored. With a small smile aimed at what I assumed was my direction, she shrugged before grabbing a drink from the fridge and walked back out, Tia hot on her heels.

The tension remained in the air for a few minutes, before Alice cleared her throat and spoke up. "I'll go. Dinner's on you, right?"

Angela smiled and perked up. "Of course." Then she looked at her 'friend', with a hopeful expression.

"Yeah, fine, whatever." Renee sighed with a bored expression, and sounding just like Bella. "I'm going to go check on the girls, though. Alice?"

They both walked out, offering me small smiles but without a second glance in Angela's direction. Once upon a time, her responding sigh would have broken me, but I couldn't tame down aggravation.

"If this is going to be a repeat of our last trip where you went all about the island, not spending time with me, feel free to let me know so I can cut things short. I have plenty of work I could be doing back home."

When I first started out, getting my foot in the architectural world was hell. I put in my time—worked menial jobs and kissed ass like _that_ was my actual job sometimes. When that wasn't enough, I made a move to get a PhD in Architecture at the one school that offered it in my field at the time—UH Manoa.

Even though we hadn't been together that long, at my persistence, Angela followed.

Hawaii was tough in its own right, but an overall amazing experience for both of us. At least that's what I thought. I finished school, had some sick traveling experiences under my belt, and after completing my courses, had a job already waiting for me. While there, I designed what I thought was going to be mine and Angela's home to build a future together.

That plan was cut short when Angela made the decision to move back home mere weeks after the house was complete.

She missed Chicago and her friends too much—so she said. Returning the favor she did me when I decided to continue schooling—I followed her.

We've visited here—the house in Hawaii—once in the six or so years since we've moved, and though we went there on a month long "extended trip," the vacation was the worst. It felt like we were traveling separately, only spending a handful of moments together by chance. The few times we did spend together, we went out with our neighbors. It was pitiful. Nothing like the "honeymoon" I'd pitched.

With a groan, Angela rolled her eyes and dropped her head in her hands. "We just got here. Please don't start with your demands."

_"My demands?"_ I spoke slow, dragging out the words. "Wanting to spend time with you is a demand, huh? Wow." I chuckled, and rubbed my hands over my chin—something I did when trying to calm myself down. "I'm sorry. I was under the impression asking my wife to dinner was a polite request."

"Ex," she barked out, then snapped her eyes to me. "I'm sorry, I didn't—"

"No, you're right. Ex-wife, my apologies."

Her halfhearted whisper as I walked out of the kitchen wasn't enough to have me turn back around.

I stomped to the other side of the house and whipped out my phone, as I started making my way back outside.

"Going out?"

Without looking up, I already recognized Bella's voice. There was an undeniable softness, yet edge when she spoke. "Yeah. Well, kinda. I'm looking for a cab company. I need to get a rental."

"Wanna a ride?"

At that, I looked up at her. "Are you even old enough to drive?"

"Funny."

With a small smirk I tried conveying that I was joking with her because nothing's more awkward than when your sarcasm flops. I've been there a time too many. Thankfully, I saw the corner of her mouth twitch a little, trying to suppress a smile.

"How old do you think I am, by the way?"

Shrugging, I looked back down at my phone to avoid her stare. Through it, I could tell there was more to the way she was looking at me. The warning signs in my head were going off like car alarms that I needed to tread lightly.

"I'm twenty-two thank you."

"Still a baby."

"Oh, trust me, I'm not a baby."

I could hear the purring tone of her voice, the small trace of seduction behind it, but I chuckled and pretended to be unaffected. "If you say so."

"Anyway." She let out a soft huff. "I need to get the hell away from here for a few minutes, too. I'll go get the keys."

"I'll wait for you outside."

To avoid speaking to Angela or running into her, I snuck outside, and leaned against the side of the SUV they'd rented.

When Bella came outside, Tia was with her and I found myself breathing an unexpected sigh of relief that it wasn't just going to be the two of us.

The drive was quiet as Tia sat in the backseat on her phone. Leaving me and Bella intently trying to focus on what the GPS was telling her to do.

We managed to get lost one good time trying to find the rental place, but it still didn't take too long to find it. When we pulled up I thanked Bella as I got out. "You don't have to wait, if you don't want to."

She nodded an okay but called me back as I started walking away. "Quick question."

"All right."

"Do you consider yourself my uncle?"

"Uhh … No." My laugh came out forced, almost like a strained cough. _Fuck no. _ "Why?"

She shrugged. "You're my godmother's husband, right?" The tilt of her question came out expectant, almost like she was waiting for me to rebuke her claim. Like she knew I would say no. I was about to, but I didn't know how much information Angela had shared with them. So I didn't answer and waved for her to continue on with her point—assuming there was one. "Well, you're not my godfather. And she's not really my aunt, so what does that make you to me?"

I thought about it for a brief second, trying to make a connection and came up with nothing. But even if I had ... "What does it matter?"

Bella opened her mouth, then paused, before giving me an undecipherable look. With a small, almost sarcastic laugh of her own, she said, "I guess it doesn't in the long run, huh?"

* * *

><p><strong>Not to us, it doesn't! ;-)<strong>

**** Just wanted and needed to clear that up it seems. Which I hope that last little interaction did. That E and B aren't even related through marriage. He's a non-blood aunts kind of husband. LOL. If that makes any difference. ****

**** Also ... yes Edward and Angela are still married. They just separated and also happen to be going through a divorce. So wife/ ex - wife. Whichever floats your boat to call her, you'd be right. ** **

**Thanks for reading!**

**Until Next time,**

**~Lo**


	5. Chapter 5

**SERVED COLD**

**5.**

A few days passed, and I still hadn't figured out what the hell my purpose was on the trip. Meaning why had Angela asked me to come, or better yet, why the hell had I agreed?

Renee and Alice were nice, civil enough, but neither one made an effort to get to know me. I wasn't holding it against them, though, because I knew after we all went back home, we'd ever see each other again.

So while they all did their thing, I was content to do mine. The exception to that was when it came to Bella . She was the one and only person who seemed to have any interest in anything I had to say, tried to include me in conversations, or seek me out in general.

It was a strange feeling, almost exciting, whenever I saw her eyes light up during our conversations about ... well everything, really.

She would tell me about Cal State; how she'd gotten there on a swim scholarship and would be graduating in a few months. Then, even if she didn't really understand it, she'd let me geek out around her with my architecture talk.

When we weren't physically speaking, she seemed just as content as me to hang around the house reading, listening to music, or catching up on her own school work for spring recess. Never once did she complain about being on a 'family trip' during her break.

Her company was refreshing, and I was happy when she asked to tag along when I made a trip to my old school.

I'll admit, though, that at first I thought it was a little strange for her to want to come visit a school on her own school break, but she and her mom had laughed saying it was 'so much like her'. That also made me smile.

"So, what's Cali like?"

While at the campus, Bella had been pretty quiet during my conversations with some of my old professors. And though we'd spent days talking at length about various topics, it made me realize I never grilled her much about her day-to-day personal life. This realization dawned on me when one of the students asked her if she had a boyfriend. In response, she leaned into my side and chose not to answer him; further fueling my curiosity. So on the way home, I'd struck up the conversation trying to probe a little more.

"I mean, not just school," I clarified, when she gave me a look of confusion. "But ... I don't know. You haven't talked much about your boyfriend or anything. Don't you miss him?"

"That—" she pointed at me with a soft giggle "—was the worst attempt at asking me if I'm in a relationship I've ever heard."

Realizing how my question might have seemed—like I was trying to bag her—I furrowed my eyebrows and looked back at the road. "Yeah." I let out a strained chuckle. "I don't even know why I asked that. You don't even need to answer."

"No, it's okay. You can ask me whatever you want." She scrunched her face up. "But I don't have a boyfriend. I haven't had one since high school."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Why's that?"

_Because you're beautiful, kind, smart, patient. _I shrugged_._ "Just do. Why don't you have a boyfriend?"

"Well, guys at my school are good at a lot of things." I chanced another glance at her and caught her eyes focused on me intently—squinted and barely blinking. "But being in a relationship isn't one of them. They're way too immature for me. And plus ..." she faced forward. "I like older guys, anyway."

Interesting. I thought, but said nothing else.

When I pulled the car into the driveway, I watched as Bella silently, started climbing out of the car with her shoulders slumped. I placed my hand on her arm to stop her. "Never be in a rush to prove how mature you are." There was a deep frown on her face as she turned to look at me, but she stayed quiet and gave me a nod to continue. "I know one of the things people always say is how females mature quicker than guys and all that, but it's not completely true, not really. I mean, it might take some of us a little longer to figure out what we want, but that doesn't mean you should completely disregard boys your own age."

"You know." She licked her lips and settled back in the car to lean toward me. "One of these days you're gonna look at me as more than just a little girl. I've already told you. I'm not."

"Oh, trust me, I know." My voice came out breathy, and I gripped my hands tighter around the steering wheel, fighting a strange impulse to rub my thumb over the spot her tongue just darted out against.

"What was that?"

"Umm ... nothing. Nothing."

A moment of silence passed as we sat there quiet and staring at each other before Bella 's phone buzzed against the seat, making her jump.

"That's probably Tia." She lifted her hips up to reach into the back pocket of her shorts. I had to look away quickly so she wouldn't catch me staring at her long, creamy, tan legs. "I promised her we'd hang out today, just the two of us." Her fingers slid across the screen as her head snapped up. "Yup."

Through the windshield we saw Tia standing at the doorway with an eager smile on her face, waving.

"She looks up to you."

"I guess." Bella shrugged and waved at her. "To a seventeen year old, being a senior in college seems like a really big deal. She has no idea."

"Well, have fun."

"Do you wanna come?"

"Come where?" Eyebrows raised, and a smile on my face, I gave her a look that said 'are you crazy?'

"Out with us. We're in Hawaii. This place is fucking gorgeous, and you stay home on your computer working all the time. I get that you're busy, but doesn't mean I have to sit around and watch you mope."

"I don't mope."

"Oh, you mope."

Laughing at her teasing, I almost considered her offer before reeling myself back in and telling her I didn't think it was a good idea. "You promised Tia a day with the two of you, right? Plus, we were just out. "

"True."

"But thanks." I rushed out my words. "For keeping me company. Not only today, but in general out here. You've made it ..." _tolerable, worth it, reminded me what it was like to enjoy someone's company and them mine_ "... nice."

Her eyes flashed with an emotion I didn't recognize. Well, no, I did recognize it. It looked like someone who just realized they made a mistake. I couldn't figure out why she was looking at me like that, though.

"What?"

"Huh? Oh." She shook her head, bringing one hand to her cheek. "Nothing, just ... I was thinking about something."

"The guy back home you're denying perhaps?"

Unlike mine, her voice held no traces of humor when she said, "No. Not a guy back home," before she squeezed my hand and exited the car.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reading!<strong>

**Until Next Time,**

**~Lo **


	6. Chapter 6

**I don't wanna be all braggy about my fabulous life, or anything, but it's Friday - just turning 9 - and I'm already in bed, half asleep. Be jealous lol**

* * *

><p><strong>SERVED COLD<strong>

**6.**

"Someone's got a crush," Angela sang the very next morning.

I barely looked up from my breakfast to acknowledge her. She'd been so distant, so indifferent at the sight of me, that we hadn't said but a handful of words to each other.

"I saw Bella looking at you this morning. I think she has a crush on you, it's cute." She pushed.

Choosing not to acknowledge her comment—or the jolt of excitement the possibility of what she said caused me—I deflected by questioning everyone's whereabouts. Her laser focused attention on me meant one thing: _no one else was home._

"They went shopping." She tried to keep her voice flat, nonchalant even, but I knew enough to hear the undertone of hurt there. I found a sick sense of gratification in knowing the reunion wasn't going as well as she'd planned.

Was it fucked up of me, sure, but in that moment her feeling that hurt, that rejection of not being wanted had me feeling like karma was on my side. The time had come when she was experiencing firsthand how I felt when she'd purposely dealt those things on me. I chose to relish in it rather than focus on any misguided and wasted sympathy toward her.

"Why didn't you go with them?"

"They ... uh, wanted to do a mother-daughter day," she whispered. Then cleared her throat. "Since I'm not a mother and all ..."

"Ah." I nodded, finally looking up to face her. "Do you ever regret it?"

"Regret what?"

"Not having kids."

Over the years, having children never made for a long discussion. I'd wanted kids, Angela didn't. The end.

"Not really." Her voice was flippant. "Maybe days like this where I feel left out, but we both know I'm not the loving motherly type."

She got 'not the loving part' right, that was for sure.

"Well." I shrugged, placing my palms flat on the table to push myself up. "I have work to do, so ..."

"Edward," she purred, sliding her hands over my shoulder to stop me.

"Yeah?" When her fingers started moving over my collarbone, and slipped under the top of my shirt, I stopped her with a harsh chuckled, "Don't."

"What's wrong?" She nipped at my earlobe. "You don't want me?"

Nope, sure didn't. "You're my ex-wife, remember?" I flinched away from her. "Probably not a good idea."

"Aww ... don't be like that. You know I was only upset about everyone bailing on me."

"How is your failing to make amends with your sister my problem? In fact—" I grabbed a hold of her wrist, pushing her arm off of me "—I'd really like if you could enlighten me about what the fuck I'm doing here in the first place."

"What do you mean?" She pouted when I turned to look at her. "I thought you wanted to come here with me, spend time with me and my family."

"Yet, neither of the two has happened."

At that point, I couldn't even keep up the harsh pretense and the hurt seeped through in my voice. What Bella didn't realize when she'd brought up my sitting around the house moping, was that I was spending my days making myself available for Angela to mention going out or to accept one of my many invitations. All futile.

"And I'm sorry, baby, really. How about we do something now?"

"Why, 'cause you have nothing better else to do?"

"You know what?" Dropping the seductress act, her voice changed to a whining yet venomous tone. "This would be like you to complain. I'm making time for you right now, and it's not good enough?"

Running my tongue over my teeth, I made a sucking sound and bolted up from my seat causing the chair to scrape across the floor and almost topple to the ground. "Not when you're doing it out of charity or boredom."

Her nostrils flared, as did mine, and her eyes got a look of fire behind them. I knew we were about to fight—we did that well—but the doorbell rang, interrupting us.

"You could sit here acting like an asshole, then," she snapped. "I'll get the door and save you from thinking of reasons to reject me any further."

With an annoyed huff, I grabbed her arm to pull her back to me. "I'm sorry, okay?" Was I? Not really. But did I want her to get mad and potentially cause me more grief—even more than she'd already been? No. "How do you expect me to feel right now? You ask me to come here and never spend time with me. When I try to spend time with you all I hear are excuses about your sister and Renee."

"And I'm trying to spend time with you right now." I'm not sure what she rolled harder, her eyes or her neck. "But you want to act all whatever about it. Fine. Sulk. Do what you do, just let me go."

"Really?" I dropped her arm. "I'm frustrated as hell. I have mad work to do back home, and I'm the one on a bullshit vacation where my wife ... oh no—" I raised a hand, letting out a sarcastic, bitter laugh "—sorry I mean ex-wife treats me like some fucking last option. And I'm the one apologizing while you're acting brand new like it's all on me? You know what ..." I didn't say anything else, as the doorbell rang again and I made my way to the door.

Still angry, I wrenched it open but stopped short when I was greeted by our neighbors from down the street, the Altera's. The ones who we'd spent time with years ago on our bullshit honeymoon.

They'd come over to invite everyone to come over for a barbeque later that day, and as nice as I thought it was for them to try and include us, I hesitated.

"It's just me here, but I'll be sure to mention it to the other's when they get in." I couldn't answer for anyone but myself since I didn't know their plans.

"Edward, who's at the door?" Angela walked up and leaned against me like everything was straight between us. As discretely as possible, I shrugged her off and moved to the side.

"You remember Quil and Leah?"

"Oh, yeah." She paused for a moment, taking in the pair and I noticed her eyes twinkling. Back and forth I stared at her, then them, wondering what she was looking at or for. They looked the same to me. Both average height, dark skin, dark hair and eyes. I tapped her with my elbow lightly to snap her out of it.

"Angela."

"Yeah. Right, sorry. Would you guys like to come in?"

Though Quil declined, his wife easily agreed stating she could come in for a few minutes.

Not even twenty minutes later, the duo was off for a shopping trip; leaving me home alone, yet again.

It was probably the first time, while on the trip, that I was thankful to be an afterthought. Taking that blissful moment of solitude and silence, I walked around the house and tried to think back to better times. Happier times.

Realization overcame me, then, that they were few and far between. Angela and I weren't always miserable together, but from the beginning we never truly experienced that all-consuming kind of love, either.

We got along well enough, but it was due to a level of comfort; a friendship that never should have evolved into more. When I proposed, I remember feeling an abundance of gratitude. An appreciation she'd rocked it out with me while I finished school. Relief and pride that she got along with Emmett and that she was respectful of my parents. I do remember feeling like I loved her, but what I don't remember is being so in love with her I couldn't live without her. More than anything, we'd been together a while, it was time to settle down.

Over the years I never knew she wasn't happy, or held my working so much against me. I have to agree I could see how it helped contribute to our problems, but it wasn't like she wasn't enjoying the fruits of my labor. Plus, Angela had only brought it up once, maybe twice, and less than a month later I was served with papers. She didn't even give me time to rectify it before giving up on me.

Sighing, I dropped myself on the couch and tried to figure out why I was stressing so much.

I groaned at my jumbled thoughts and decided to take a swim to cool off, clear my head, and try to relieve some of the tension in my muscles. Stressing over all of this wasn't only affecting my headspace.

The minute I hit the water, I felt a sense of calm wash over me but a few laps in, a splash in the shallow end caught my attention. When I looked up, I saw a smiling Bella waving at me. With a smile of my own, I swam toward her looking around for the rest of the crew.

"Hey. You guys are back."

"Yeah. Well, no, but I'm back."

I squinted one eye while raising the other to let her know I wasn't following.

"While we were out shopping," she continued, "Angela called my mom so she could meet us with her friend. They decided to wait for her, but I drove back. I was thinking about you and figured you might want some company?"

I tried to keep my smile neutral to mask the way I felt at her thinking about me, but I'm sure my eyes betrayed me. They always did. "You're a really sweet girl, you know that?"

Bella stayed silent for a few seconds, her eyes bouncing back and forth between mine, before a splash of water pelted against my face.

I gasped, frozen in amused shock, but the moment it was clear I was plotting my vengeance, Bella squealed and tried to dart away from me, but I grabbed her ankle and pulled her back to me with a laugh.

"Oh, no you don't," I taunted, "you asked for this." With one arm tucked under her knees and the other supporting her back, I slowly took the steps out of the pool, ignoring her pleas for forgiveness.

"I'm sorry." She giggled, bringing her arm around my neck and kicking her legs. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I take it back. I take it back."

"Too late!" I tightened my hold and jumped in with her. Under the veil of the water, I instinctively reached out for her, briefly opening my eyes when I felt her hand pull on mine. I smiled when together we rose up to the surface spluttering and laughing.

"I can't believe you just did that!"

"Well, believe it, sweetheart." I cupped some more water in my hand to splash at her—purposely missing her by a long shot.

"That's probably the hardest I've heard you laugh since we got here."

As she said this, Bella 's smile was radiant. And even with her hair matted at the side of her head, and eyes red, she looked amazing floating with her arms at her sides.

My laughter died down to a soft chuckle, as I looked away from her. I don't know what was more fucked up: that she'd been paying that much attention, or that she was right. Over a week on vacation and no one had heard me laughing. "Yeah, well ..."

Her hands on my cheek made me lose my train of thought. Involuntarily, my eyes closed and I leaned into her hand, craving the softness of her skin. The touch. The affection.

My name fell from her mouth in a whisper right before I felt the pressure of her lips against mine. I allowed myself to temporarily get lost in her. Taking in the moment and giving in to a few instinctual movements of my mouth against hers before I pulled us apart with a soft protest.

"Why do you put up with her?"

"Excuse me?"

"Angela." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "She's such a ... ugh the only reason you're here, that she's asked you here is 'cause—" I knew there had to be a reason, but unfortunately she snapped her mouth shut, mumbling out, "Never mind."

My stomach turned, wondering what it could be. Trying to discern what was so bad, Bella felt she couldn't continue. "No. If you know something—"

"I don't know anything."

"Really?"

"Just don't be surprised if she asks you for help. And soon." She gave me a piercing look, almost willing me to understand what she meant, but I had nothing.

"Help with what?"

Our time was cut short by the sounds of a car driving up and the women chatting, and laughing as they entered the house.

I tried in vain to get Bella to finish her comment but she didn't.

For the rest of the day, it was clear she was purposely avoiding me, and it cut deeper than any of the times Angela had ever given me the silent treatment combined.

* * *

><p><strong>I think there's about 5 or so more updates before we're done here! :-) Not to bad, right?<strong>

**As usual ... thanks so much for reading. **

**Until Next Time,**

**~Lo **


	7. Chapter 7

**SERVED COLD**

**7.**

* * *

><p>That night, I stayed up in bed thinking about Bella 's warning about Angela.<p>

I knew it couldn't be about money, it just couldn't. I'd already agreed to be as fair as possible in regards to the divorce. The houses were mine. Period. I'd wanted them, sought them out—built them while Angela remained impassive. But I'd promised to help her get her own; agreed to alimony, even. I wasn't a complete dick, so just because we'd started falling out of love didn't mean I wanted her poor and penniless. The courts would have never allowed that anyway. It was better to come to some sort of agreement and make our lives easier instead of going through months, maybe years, of court drama.

I probably could have gone on all night wondering, but soft talking and bits of a conversation on the other side of my window caught my attention.

"... Sweeter than I thought."

"… I don't know what to do."

It didn't matter how garbled the words were, I could recognize Bella 's voice anywhere.

I climbed out of bed, deciding I needed to take a walk and put some distance between me, the house, and that voice. While making my way to the back of the house I stumbled on Tia walking in.

"Oh, hey." She jumped, giving me an odd, almost sympathetic, look. We'd barely spoken, so I had no idea what she had to be sympathetic about but I rolled with it.

"Good night." I greeted her, opting out of evening since it was past ten o'clock.

"H-hi, Uncle Edward." See with her, it didn't seem odd for her to call me that.

"Everything good?"

"Oh, yes—yes everything's fine." Her voice was almost frantic as she added on a muttered explanation about going to bed before booking it to the other side of the house. I watched her with raised eyebrows, and though no one else was around, I looked around in confusion when I heard her door slam softly.

"Um, okay."

Continuing on my way, I headed to the back sliding door, not surprised when I saw a figure moving around in the pool.

I leaned against the door frame watching as Bella did twists and turns in the pool, cutting through the water like a hot knife to butter. I knew she'd been a bit of a swimmer—from some of the conversations we'd had—but to watch it was a different story. I don't know how to describe what she looked like. A water nymph? Mermaid? Was that the same thing? Regardless, I could tell this is where she was in her zone. At home. At peace.

I don't know how long I stood there and watched her, until she stopped and looked up at me. Her lips formed into a tight line. "How long have you been standing there?"

"A while." I walked slowly toward the edge of the pool and nodded to the water "It's crazy seeing you in there. It's like ... I have no words."

"Yeah, well ..." She shrugged. "Some people dance or swing, or sing. I swim."

"Or draw, like me."

"Yeah."

"Bella , listen—"

"Listen, about earlier—"

A nervous chuckle escaped me as I rubbed the back of my neck and continued. "Will you tell me what you meant? About Angela."

"Why? I'm sure it's nothing you don't already know. Or at the very least can figure out on your own."

"If you don't mind," I said, harsh and very much annoyed. "You could stop speaking in code now."

"Do you trust her?"

Shocking Bella , and myself, I quickly answered, "No," without hesitation.

With her eyes still wide, and head flinched back, Bella nodded slowly. "Okay. Well ... yeah, that's ... good. You shouldn't."

"But you won't tell me why." I bent down, dropping to sit at the edge of the pool and threw both feet in.

"You know why. But for whatever reason want to believe she's good. You know … you're not at all what I was expecting to find." Her lower lip puckered out, almost into a frown as her forehead crinkled.

Mine did, too, but in confusion. "What did you expect?"

"Well, the way she made you sound, I thought you were going to be one of those corporate assholes who always chose working over your friends and family. You know, the type who's all about their money and nothing else?" She shook her head slowly. "I should have known she was exaggerating. Angela does that well."

"My money's important." I shrugged, speaking in honesty. It doesn't define me. I'm sure it doesn't define her family, either. But I wouldn't have worked as hard as I did if it didn't matter at least a little. "But only so I could provide for me and those around me. Angela was used to a specific type of lifestyle. I did what I had to make sure she got it. But that's on me, too. Not just her. I guess I helped create the monster."

"You're really about to try and sit here and put blame on yourself for marrying a spoiled, entitled bitch?"

"She wasn't always a bitch." It was weird defending Angela. I might not have trusted her, and it was too much to think about whether or not I ever did, but with all that aside, she wasn't there to defend herself.

"But was she nice? Ever. Can you remember a time where she went out of her way to be nice. Kind. Sweet. Caring."

I was ready to snap. "I get it! But what do you want me to say? You know something and you're not telling me. Whatever answer or reaction you want from me about her—I'm too tired to give it. So just fucking tell me."

"Bella ?"

We both jumped and I whirled around at the sound of her mother's voice calling from behind me. Renee's eyebrows stayed raised in suspicion while she looked back and forth between the two of us. Then focusing on her daughter, she asked, "Is everything okay out here?"

"Oh, yeah. I was doing a few laps. Edward saw me and was asking about my team. I, uh, was telling him about the Fairbanks meet."

Her mom's face softened. "She's an angel in the water, isn't she?" I smiled and nodded. She truly was. "Well, we're back from the cook out. I brought some food back for you. It's in the fridge."

"Thanks, Mom." Bella tried to dismiss her, but she didn't move an inch and it was clear she wasn't going to. I took that as my cue and lifted my feet from the water, angling myself to move to stand up.

"Well, ladies." I faced Bella , then Renee. "I should call it a night."

When I got to bed, I couldn't sleep, and my thoughts drifted to Bella in the pool. Earlier, she'd had on a bright bikini, I don't remember the color but it was in direct contrast to the dark, full piece she wore when swimming her laps. To me, they were both equally sexy in their own right, and it didn't take long for my body to start reacting.

Slowly, I slid my fingers down from my chest, past my stomach, and tugged at the strings of my shorts to loosen them. I continued thinking about Bella , what she might look like underneath it all. How quick her nipples would harden when I flicked them with my tongue and sucked them into my mouth. How she'd moan. Whimper out my name. Squirm.

I continued sliding my hands down my body, my palm flat over my hard-on as I fantasized about her mouth, her lips wrapped around me. Sliding my shorts over my hips, I thought about them as I fisted my dick, letting out a hiss. I pictured what she might be like in bed, while swiping my thumb over my tip of my cock to collect the pre-cum leaking out and spread it around my entire dick.

My eyes screwed shut, moving my hands up and down, up and down, tugging at my balls while thoughts, images, and visions flashed behind my eyes at what she might be like over me, riding me, hips grinding, tits bouncing. My own hips bucked up against my fist, another groan falling from my lips. She's probably tight, I thought to myself, picturing how wet she'd be as I slid into her, grabbing at her plump ass, flicking my fingers over her clit.

Maybe even tasting her …

"Fuck." I grunted, squeezing myself tight, jacking my cock harder. Before I could register the burning feeling in my gut, I felt the warmth of my explosion spilling all over me, hitting my stomach in a steady stream.

With a sigh, I threw my head back against the pillow struggling to catch my breath. It was the first legit time I'd let my thoughts about Bella stray in the direction, but I knew it wouldn't be the last.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there you have it! ;-)<strong>

**Until Next Time,**

**~Lo **


	8. Chapter 8

**SERVED COLD**

**8.**

* * *

><p>"Mom? Jacob invited me to go out with him and his parents tonight. Can I?"<p>

"Who's Joshua?"

"The kid down the street—Quil's son," I answered for Tia.

Alice nodded. "Yeah, but only if I go, too. You're not going out with a boy I barely know. I don't care if his parents are supposedly going."

As if she'd expected that answer, Tia let out a squeal that could shatter glass and tore out of the room.

Not even five minutes later, she returned with a wide smile on her face saying his parents felt the same way and had asked if we all wanted to come along.

At first we declined, but at Alice's urging we all ended up tagging along to Sharkey's.

"I've never been to a comedy club before."

Bella was in the passenger seat of my car, while Tia and Jacob sat in the back. I'm still not sure how that riding agreement came to be. But it was the first time she'd said a word to me since the night before in the pool, so I was thankful.

"No?" I looked over and grinned. "It's a good experience. But that's only if you go to the right one. Sometimes, though," I frowned, "some comedians pick on the fucking audience. I hate that shit."

"Oh, well I hope that doesn't happen tonight."

"I'll protect you if it does," I teased.

She looked over at me with a glint in her eyes as if she was about to say something but was interrupted when the young punk in the back seat demanded we put on some music.

No respect.

During the comedy show, I found myself paying more attention to Bella than I did the comedians. Whenever they would say a joke or punch line that I thought was funny, I automatically sought her out to gauge her reaction.

She always got it—even if no one else around her did.

Once the show was over, Quil and Leah took us around town a bit, eventually leading us to hang out at a lounge that seemed to double as a club.

I assumed being with us afforded Tia, and Jacob the luxury of not having to worry about being carded, but I didn't actually verify my assumption.

The place was nice but all in all an average lounge with two bars off to the side and dark couches placed around a large room. Despite the music not necessarily being my taste, I didn't let that stop me. I'd had a few drinks—more than quadrupled Sharkey's one drink minimum—and was feeling nice.

It also seemed like one of the first times, since we got there, that all of us were enjoying each other's company.

It was nice.

Still, from time to time, I would catch a look pass between Alice and Renee, before they would look at Angela then back at each other and roll their eyes. Despite the uneasy feeling, I knew enough to stay miles away from what was clearly sisterly drama.

As the night dwindled down, Leah started complaining about getting tired, so Quil had to leave to take her home. When he told Jacob it was time to go, he threw a bitch fit as if he was one of the girls and demanded he be allowed to stay. So the plan changed to Alice, Angela, and Renee leaving with them. Then an hour later, I was going to bring the kids and Bella home.

Once the women and Quil were gone, Tia and Jacob went off to a dark corner. I didn't feel it was my place to stop, scold, or questioning them, so I didn't.

Bella took that moment to tease me and pulled me on the dance floor saying she was going to 'show me some moves'. I tried reciprocating the teasing as well, but I came up with nothing once she turned her back to me, threw her arm over my neck and start swaying her hips against me.

"You're so sexy." I blurted the words out before I realized our position against each other and the way my body seemed to react to her without much thought. With a clearing of my throat, I placed a hand on Bella 's hip, and took a step back. "I need a drink."

I thought she was going to follow me, but when I got to the bar and looked back on the dance floor, it was to see her sandwiched in between two guys and dancing raunchier than when she was dancing with me.

I watched her with narrowed eyes and a fire burned through me; no doubt the result of my jealousy. I wanted to walk over and pull her away from them. Bend her over or grab her into my arms and stick my tongue down her throat. Claim her. Let everyone know she was off fucking limits. Tell her she wasn't allowed to be that close to anyone, look at anyone the way she was looking at me.

But I did none of that.

Instead, I stomped off to the bathroom to put distance between us.

When I looked in the mirror, I almost didn't recognize the guy staring back at me. My eyes were wide. My chest was heaving. And on the inside, my head was spinning.

It was time to admit that I'd been watching Bella since the week started, fantasizing about her. But I knew I could never act on it so I squashed it down, repeatedly. With the exception of the night before, I'd been jacking off in the shower to any other image I could conjure up.

In an attempt to get the anger and jealousy flowing through me under control, I charged into the larger stall, turned the knob on the sink, and splashed some cold water on my face.

For a second, I laughed at myself—and with our moment at the pool temporarily forgotten—told myself Bella probably thought I was a dirty old man anyway, for almost coming on to her like that.

But then I heard a soft knock on the stall door, and looked up to see her pushing her way inside.

"Hey." She moved me against the wall with her body.

"What's this? What are you doing?"

"You want me," she breathed out, pushing her stomach against the bulge in my pants. I hissed and bit down on my bottom lip to hold off any more noises. "See. I know you do."

"And if I did?" I licked my lips in challenge, the alcohol giving me a moment of courage and a moment of stupidity, as well. "Would you let me fuck you?" I don't know why, but I was more shocked when Bella actually nodded her head than I was at what I was saying to her. "Really?"

"Whatever you want."

Shit.

My dick twitched against her. I was close to giving in, but shook my head. "Bella , this is crazy." I protested, even though it was a half-hearted and obligatory struggle. "We can't."

Taking a step back, the smug look on her face disappeared. Eyes downcast, lips tense, and chin slightly quivering, she looked crushed like I'd backhanded her. "Why?"

"You know why."

With a bitter sounding chuckle, Bella shook her head, mumbled something under her breath about Angela, and stormed out of the bathroom.

Though I wanted to, I didn't go after her.


	9. Chapter 9

**SERVED COLD**

**9.**

I'm not sure what I expected from Bella after I rejected her. Maybe for her to hate me, stay away from me, or even try and torture me, but she did none of the above. Going on as if nothing happened, the only change I saw was in her eyes. It was there before, if I can admit, and though it wasn't at the same level, it was clear she had a sense of determination about something.

And I was confident in the knowing that the something was probably me.

"Edward?"

"Yes?" Shocked that Renee had addressed me, I looked up from my dinner with wide eyes. Though she was only a few years older than me, something about her exuded 'mom' and authority; it took everything in me not to add on ma'am.

"I think we're all going out with the Altera's again tonight. If you're interested, you should come. "

To my right, Angela gasped and started coughing—choking on her food.

Everyone around the table, except for Renee, gave her a confused looked while I reached over and patted awkwardly at her back.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she wheezed out, reaching for her glass. "Good."

"Anyway." Renee called our attention back to her. "Would you like to come out with us?"

I really didn't, but didn't wanna shut her down just like that. "Oh. Is it not another ladies night?"

"No, although—" she titled her head to the side "—what are _you_ doing tonight, Angela?"

"Going out with a friend."

"What friend?"

"One you don't know."

A moment passed between them then—a tense one—that reeked of resignation; defeat. Before Angela bolted out of her chair announcing she was going to get ready.

"You guys enjoy the rest of your dinner."

"Never gonna change," Renee grumbled.

I looked around the table to see if anyone else might know what just happened, but dropped my head when I got caught in a short staring contest with Bella . Having absolutely no desire to get in the middle of the arguing, or go out, I politely declined Renee's offer.

As soon as I finished eating, I headed outside for some much needed fresh air.

It was a nice night, with a soft breeze blowing around and under the tree that rested on the side of the house, the cool air, and serene backdrop, allowed me to get lost in my thoughts quickly. Thoughts about what it might be like to live there on a permanent basis.

It was the first time, in a long time, the fear of moving, of starting over, didn't seem so bad. I started thinking about all the things waiting for me back home. Work, the divorce, and court and couldn't wait for all of it to settle down. For a second, I talked myself into going back inside the house and attempt—one last time—to speak to Angela and figure out what the hell we were doing, maybe ask her to dinner again. A car pulling up to the side of the house stopped my thoughts.

With the mindset to approach, and see if maybe the person was lost or in need of some help, I stood up and dusted off the back of my pants. When I heard a familiar voice calling out to the person to calm down and be quiet, my feet refused to move. I felt frozen.

"Hurry up, baby." I couldn't see the face, nor did I recognize the voice that came from the car, but it was clearly a guy.

"Shh," Angela hissed at him, climbing in and closing the door quickly. I couldn't hear anything else that was being said, but I could see enough with the light provided by the moon that their bodies moved toward each other in a passionate embrace.

Fury and humiliation surged through me.

More than anything I found myself wondering, again, what the fuck was I doing here? What sense was there for Angela to make a point out of asking me to come if she already had someone waiting for her? Or she met someone random bum in the days since we'd been here.

She was already getting her divorce, she didn't need to rub any other shit it my face.

Without a word to anyone, I stormed inside and straight to my room, slamming the door behind me. I didn't care that I was acting every bit the petulant boy she accused me of being before. This was bullshit.

With a loud roar of defeat and frustration, I punched at the wall a few times then a pillow. I paced, and paced until I felt a burn in my legs.

Tears sprung to my eyes, but they were that of anger. I refused to be sad, or feel hurt by Angela again. No, it was time to make her feel what she'd made me feel over the years.

I didn't know what I was going to do, but first things first I needed a drink and to ice my fucking hands.

When I made my way into the kitchen my stomping came to an abrupt halt at seeing Bella sitting at the counter.

Instead of the normal smile I'd been greeted with for over a week now, she frowned at the sight of me. "What's wrong?"

Too focused on grabbing the first liquor bottle I found on the counter, I didn't answer. With a twist of the top, I bent the bottle back to drink straight from it, then asked, "Didn't feel like going out with everyone?"

Bella shrugged. "They went to a club with Ms. Leah. I didn't feel like going, so …"

"Oh." My heart almost beat out of my chest from the burn of the liquor and at the realization Bella and I would be home alone for hours. Last time we were alone we almost crossed the line. If things got out of hand this time, I knew I wouldn't be able to deny her, or myself, again. Especially with the way I was feeling. In particular, the thought of fucking the goddaughter who wants nothing to do with her, would be the ultimate revenge and a nice 'fuck you' to Angela. I took another gulp from the bottle. Shaking my head, I tried to focus back on Bella . "So, what do you have planned for your night in?"

"Dunno," she whispered. "Maybe just hang out in my room—read."

"Sounds like fun."

She looked at me blankly then, and I rushed to make sure she knew I wasn't poking fun at her.

After an awkward exchange of words, I was left alone in the kitchen thumping my head against the counter. It seemed that since our brief moment in the bathroom, I was the one who couldn't get my mouth and brain in the same page around her.

Later one, I was sitting on the couch with the TV playing in the background, and my buzz slowly fading when Bella joined me.

"Hi." My head snapped up to face the small voice coming from the hallway and I smiled at her. "Can I watch TV with you?"

Looking back at the documentary playing, I frowned but said, "Sure." Then chuckled awkwardly. "I don't know if this is what you want to watch, though."

"I'll watch whatever you want me to." Her voice stayed soft as she approached me. It was then I took in her outfit. It was just a regular pajama outfit, I suppose. Little blue shorts, a white tank top, knee high socks, and her hair in a ponytail. Simple in theory, but I couldn't take my eyes off her. Something about it, about her in that moment … "Are you okay?"

I snapped my eyes back to hers, tearing my gaze away from the exposed skin between her knee and the top of her thigh.

"Yeah—" I cleared my throat "—Fine. Umm …"

She shuffled a little, sliding against the floor because of her socks, but it made her tits bounce. That's when I realized she wasn't wearing a bra. Dear lord. "Is it okay if I sit next to you?"

"Of course," I answered quickly, not sure why she was asking for permission.

Tentatively, Bella sat next to me on the couch. A little too close for comfort, but at the same time not close enough. Her back was straight, and she was right at the edge of her seat. She was so close, she would've fallen off if she tipped forward.

"You can lean back, you know." I laughed. "The couch is comfortable, I promise."

"Can I? Is that okay?"

"Bella , of course," I repeated, this time confusion washing over me. Why was she acting like this?

Still, her face lit up as though I'd just given her a present. "Can we watch a movie?"

"Sure."

"Can I pick which one?"

"Yeah."

She let out soft squeal, reaching for the remote. When she didn't find what she liked, Bella got up and walked over to the entertainment center, and perused the DVD's, while constantly asking me my opinion. Even though we agreed she would choose.

"Pick whatever," I said, standing up. "I'm grabbing a beer, want anything?"

"Oh! Let me get it." She dashed to the kitchen before I could.

A few minutes later, Bella emerged with a bottle of beer in one hand, and a glass in the other, already half full.

"I know you like to pour it little by little." She placed both items down on the coffee table. I gaped at her. It wasn't life or death, I didn't have to drink it that way, it was just a little quirk of mine I preferred. I had no idea she paid that much attention. I could tell you for a fact Angela never worried about little details like that When I told her as such, letting her know how much I appreciated it, she practically beamed under my praise.

During the movie, I tried to ignore Bella 's movements as she played with her hair or toyed with the top of her socks. But after a while, I'd had enough.

They were simple enough actions, innocent, but my body reacted. I felt my dick getting hard, my breathing picking up and knew I had to get away from her. Jumping off the couch, I mumbled out, "I'm going to bed, goodnight," and I booked it to my room.

Once there, I started pacing, and cursing to myself to get my shit together. I knew I would need to rub one out at one point in the night, but I wasn't going to bring myself to do it with Bella lurking around.

Still, I wasn't as surprised as I was in the bathroom at the comedy club, when the door to my room slowly opened and Bella was standing behind it.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh, yeah ... you know what's coming next! <strong>


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello :-) Hoping everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We started a new tradition this year, and ended up having two days of Thanksgiving. I'm still recovering LOL. But I just wanted to give a shout and say I'm thankful to those who are reading and reviewing! **

**Now, let's get to it. **

* * *

><p><strong>SERVED COLD<strong>

**10.**

"Edward," she murmured, walking to me and placing both hands against my chest. I gulped, bending my head down to stare into her eyes. Eyes that were widened with vulnerability I didn't think anyone possessed anymore. My resolve was slowly weakening. "I want you, please don't …" she trailed off, shaking her head. "If you reject me again, I just—I won't tell anyone if that's what you're worried about."

"Shh." I shook my head slowly, leaning to press my lips against hers. "I'm not rejecting you," I whispered against them. "I can't." It was wrong— the way I was feeling felt wrong. But I couldn't stop, could no longer resist her. There was no more fight in me. "Not anymore."

A part of me still felt like shit. Bella didn't deserve that, to be used like this. But thinking I was only giving in to get back at Angela, was an easy way out. Easier than admitting I'd been watching Bella since the first day we got here. That I'd been lusting after my wife's god daughter. Fantasizing about someone who was more than ten years younger than me.

It was almost too much—the conflicting feelings fighting for superiority in my head. Bella's fingers trailing up to curve around my shoulders, and her soft voice snapped me out of it.

"Whatever you're thinking, it's okay."

For a moment, I wondered just exactly what she meant. If she really knew what I was thinking, but I didn't press on it. At the moment, it was wholly irrelevant.

"You say you want me?" I asked.

She nodded her head, blinking up at me a few times.

"Then show me." I widened my arms. It wasn't a command or demand. It was a sign I surrendered.

Slowly bending at the waist, Bella sat at the edge of the bed, legs wide and eyes on me, as she reached out and curled her hand in the pockets of my jeans to pull me closer to her. As she ran her finger over my zipper, several times, I smirked and bent my head to ask her, "Have you ever sucked a dick before?" Hoping it would spur her on; snap her out of what seemed to be causing her to hesitate.

"Once."

"Are you gonna suck mine?" I bucked my hips.

"Yes," she whispered, moving to a kneeling position on the floor.

"What about your pussy, can I taste it?"

She undid my zipper, pinching at the waist band to pull my pants, along with my boxers, down over my hips. "Yes."

I sucked in a quick, anticipating breath. "Then go ahead, sweet girl. Suck me."

Bella's tongue darted out over her bottom lip while she swiped the tip of her finger over the top of my dick and wrapped her whole hand around me.

"Tighter."

"Like this?" she whispered it, squeezing her hands around me.

"Yeah." I rested my hand at the back of her head. I wanted her mouth on me, but just her hands felt amazing. Small, soft, warm. After a few pumps with her fist, after my pre-cum started coming out more, Bella adjusted her kneeling stance on the floor, rested her palms against my thighs and took me fully in her mouth.

I closed my eyes tightly, and while holding my breath, started reciting any nonsensical architecture fact in my mind in order to avoid coming right then and there.

Thrusting harder, I forced myself to the back of Bella 's throat, groaning as she gagged around me. "God damn." The sight of her—good God the sight of her—Eyes wide and focused on me, nose almost flush against my pubic bone. I could barely hold myself up. "Get back on the bed."

She complied without question, scrambling to the edge of the mattress. I pulled off my shirt then threaded my fingers in her hair, plunging my dick back in her mouth; commanding her not to stop.

As she kept leaning back, I found myself hunching over to keep from slipping from her lips, and holding on to her shoulder to keep myself, and her pace, steady. But when she hollowed her cheeks, it sent a jolt of pleasure through me and the feeling of the extra suction had me stopping her. "Unless you want me to come on your tongue, you shouldn't do that."

"Do you want to do that?" She batted her eyelashes, phrasing her question softly. It was all I could do to, literally, not blow it right there.

"Lie back," I growled, almost ripping her shorts off.

Without giving her the chance to fully settle on the bed, I knelt down in between her legs and dropped a kiss on her soft, swollen, bare lips. Then, spreading her open with my fingers, I pressed my tongue against her clit; chuckling when I heard her strangled gasp and felt her legs locking around my head. "Easy, baby." I pried them apart, putting pressure on her inner thighs to pin her to the bed.

I puckered of my lips, and sucked her clit into my mouth, quick to start teasing her with my finger. Her hands pushing on the back of my head, along with her whines, and pleas spurred me on making me suck hard, lick harder, and push my finger, then another one inside her. As deep as it would go—passed my knuckles.

I smiled, loving the feel of her tight around my hand, my dick hardening even more in anticipation of what she was going to feel like wrapped around me. I had a feeling she was going to be tight—now I had my confirmation. And it was all better than I had imagined.

I can't say she tasted like flowers, or candy, or ice cream or anything like that—her pussy tasted just like any sweet pussy should taste. But there was something about her and her taste that I couldn't stop lapping at.

Curling my fingers, I rubbed against the inside hood of her pussy and she gasped, her legs shaking. I felt smug as hell knowing I found her sweet spot so quick.

"Ed—Edward."

I moved my mouth away from her, but kept moving my fingers, smirking when she kept trembling and her shoulder's and body started hunching in on itself.

"Yes, baby?"

"I-I'm ... I'm about to—"

"Go ahead." I kissed my way up her body, licking and flicking my tongue over every inch of her skin I came in contact with until I reached her mouth. As our lips teased and tasted each other, Bella kept wiggling and whimpering underneath me. Bucking her hips against my hand.

Looking down at her face with a smile, I pulled out my fingers and smacked my palm against her clit. "Do you touch yourself, Bella ?" She nodded and her body jerked back from my touch. My smile widened, while I sat back, and reaching over in the dresser grabbed a condom. Ripping it open with my teeth, I looked at her and smirked as she gawked at me putting it on. But making it clear I stilled wanted some answers, I probed some more. "Have you since we've been here?"

"Yes."

"And have you thought about me?" I moved back over her, grabbing a stiff hold of my cock and rubbed the head against her slit, slowly pushing against her.

"Yes," she cried out.

"Is that a yes you thought of me?" I pushed in a little more, biting down on my lip to control my groan. "Or yes that feels good?"

"Both. Both."

I hummed, lowering myself completely inside of her, curling my arms around her shoulders. Once I was all the way in—balls deep—and our hips smashed together to the hilt, I stilled, giving her a second to get comfortable; giving myself a second to hold back. All I felt was heat and tightness and I needed that moment to gain control of myself, too. Her pussy walls clenched around me tightly, and I begged her to relax.

"Don't tense up on me, baby."

"I'm sorry."

"No, no." I dropped a kiss on her mouth and started rocking in to her. "Just relax for me." I cupped my hands under her, grabbing an ass-full to open up to me more.

Her legs were spread as wide as they seemed to be able to go, and when her features relaxed I could feel she was starting to enjoy it I smiled and if possible, I got even harder.

I leaned back to watch myself fucking her, transfixed by the sight of my cock sliding in and out of her pussy, coated with her wetness and her completely open and exposed to me.

"You're getting so wet." I gritted my teeth. "Do you feel that?"

"Yeah." She nodded, digging her nails into my thighs. "God, it feels so …"

There were no words in me to describe to her how good she felt, how I was feeling. It was like someone had taking a match and lit it against my skin section by section until my entire body was on fire.

When Bella 's breathing started changing to quick shallow breaths, I knew it was getting intense for her. "Keep breathing like that." I coached her, knowing all too well that any hope of her coming like this hindered on her concentrating and controlling her breathing.

Increasing my pace, I started pounding into her; relishing in the sound of our skin slapping together and the headboard rocking into the wall. Feeling the bubbling of my release, of my cum, traveling to my cock, I gasped, clutching on to Bella as we both panted and convulsed against each other. "Fuck me." My hips were jerking and bucking with each spurt. Her screams and cries turning into moans and whimpers.

We rode it out together, my thrusting turning to soft slow strokes before collapsing on the bed.

After catching our breaths, we both lied side by side and in silence, seemingly letting the weight of our reality settle around us.

With absolutely no clue what to say, or the desire to have a long drawn out talk about it all, I asked Bella to face me. Behind her eyes I could see some guilt and I felt her pain. She also looked as though she was bracing herself for something … rejection maybe. She wasn't about to get it, though. "You can stay in here tonight, if you want." I offered, wincing as I slowly rolled the condom off, tossing it in a nearby trash can. "You know, if you can."

"And if someone notices?"

I wanted to care, but I couldn't and threw myself back on the bed. "I guess we'll deal with that if it happens."

When I woke up the next day, a headache and images of the night before assaulted me all at once. I wasn't sure how Bella was going to act or react to me, but I never got to find out because she wasn't next to me when I reached over the other side of the bed.

I can't find words to explain what that felt like Other than alone. And, well, kind of pissed. In all the shit I'd done I never once left someone high and dry the morning after. I didn't like the feeling of it one fucking bit.

I didn't give a damn about appearances at that point and made my way to the kitchen in just a pair of boxers. It was my fucking house and if they had a problem with it they were welcome to close their eyes, or better yet leave.

"I think I'm hanging out at the spa today," Angela answered whatever question was asked. "What about you, ladies?"

Renee garbled out something, Alice, too and I was barely listening, until Bella spoke up and said, "I'm going shopping. Uncle Edward said he would take me."

I nearly spit out my juice and whipped my head around, narrowing my eyes at her. "I did?"

"Yeah." Bella smirked. "Last night _remember?_"

Son of a bitch.

* * *

><p><strong>***Mwahahaha…<strong>

**Runs away and hides! **


	11. Chapter 11

**Since a few ladies asked so nicely ... I figured why the heck not update tonight? **

**There are about 3-4 chapters left and I'll be hitting complete on Sunday at the latest. I see some theories going around and I'm loving it. As usual, though, you guys are far more creative with the ideas than I could ever be Lol. But this chap will answer some questions about why Bella hate's Angela and whether or not they are in cahoots :-D**

* * *

><p><strong>SERVED COLD<strong>

**11.**

I couldn't focus on the rest of their conversation; I stood staring with a murderous look facing Bella. No one asked why, and if they did, I didn't hear them.

As soon as all the women were out of the room, I stormed toward her, half tempted to shake the shit out of her. "What the fuck was that?"

"What?" She smiled all innocent like and pouted. "What do you mean?"

"I mean me taking you shopping. And that other shit you said. Why the hell would I do that?"

"Why would you take me shopping?" She strutted over to me, pinning me with her little body against the edge of the counter. "Because, _Uncle _Edward—" she trailed her hands down, cupping my junk, hard. I wanted to wince but instead stared harder, and clenched my jaw. "—I have you by the balls now. Literally." Then, dropping her hands, and tipping up on her toes to place a quick kiss in my chin, she added, "But, I won't do you like that. Don't worry. We don't have to go to the mall, but I'll go crazy if I have to hang with them. Now, tell me how long I have to get ready."

I was confused, pissed, flustered even, as I stammered out a, "T-thirty minutes."

"Perfect." She smiled. "I promise I won't keep you waiting."

I stood there, lost. What the fuck just happened?

~OOO~

The drive to the mall was silent, and I almost rubbed the skin on my palm raw from gripping the steering wheel so tight. I was seething, feeling like I had just gotten played.

"Are you mad at me?"

"OH!" The soft tenor of her voice only served to piss me off. "Stop that!" I slammed on the breaks, punching the steering wheel with the side of my fist. "Fucking stop that. Stop playing games with me and use your God damn regular voice. What the fuck was last night?" I realized my anger at her blaze' attitude about the night before was nothing short of hypocrisy, but I couldn't have cared less. She was up to something. She's _been_ up to something.

"I—I didn't do it to play games, or to upset you. I ... for you—I did it for you."

"Right."

"I didn't lie, I swear. I've only been with two guys before you and I've only sucked one guy's dick, ever."

"Whoa, whoa I don't wanna hear this shit."

"I'm just ... I didn't lie. I'm just not as, I don't know? Demure as you thought. I did it for you," she repeated.

"How was that for me?"

"You enjoyed yourself, didn't you? Me being all sweet and innocent."

Checkmate.

I brought my attention back to the front, grabbing the gear shift to move the car forward, but Bella's hand against mine stopped me.

"Edward?" This time her soft voice didn't seem forced. "I'm really sorry. I thought ... it's just, well Angela—she's just such a bitch. I heard she's always been, especially to you. It's been so—I hated to hear about it. And …" she licked her lips. "I wanted you to feel good. In charge. Wanted. And—"

"Yeah, I get, I get it."

"But now you're mad." She slumped back in her seat pouting. "That's not what I wanted."

"What do you want, then? And for real, because I am tired of whatever game you're playing." It was almost night and day with her, I realized. One moment she'd be sweet, soft spoken—the next a vixen. The only thing that stayed constant about her was the way she acted around Angela. "You hate your godmother," I called her out. "I see it in the way you look at her, the way you talk to her. The way you act. You don't care that she treats me like shit. So what is it?"

She shifted her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. I knew that move—her guard was up. But I pushed harder. Whatever the hell she was up to, I needed to know. Deserved to. "I'm waiting."

"Fine. You want the truth?"

"And nothing but."

"Okay," she huffed. "You're right—I hate her, despise her actually. Did she ever tell you why her and my mom stopped talking?"

I shook my head. "Never really asked, just know it's about a guy."

"Not just a guy—my dad."

I flinched a little in surprise. I wasn't expecting that.

"They had an affair when I was younger." Bella's voice sounded far away, almost detached from the moment. "And after my mom left him, I never saw him again. I blame Angela for that."

As trifling as it was that Angela slept with her supposed best friend's husband, her goddaughter's father, I didn't see why Bella was putting the whole thing on her. It didn't answer _anything. _

"Your father went willingly, though?" It takes two, after all.

Bella 's face got hard, her top lip turning up in snarl. "Yes, but so did Angela. A fact she left out." Now I was lost. "Apparently she admitted to being the one who went after him. Of course she waited until _after_ he died to admit it."

I sat and watched her silently for a moment, having more questions than answers. As I watched her blinking rapidly and swallowing, fighting back tears, it took a lot to hold onto my anger and not reach over and comfort her.

"After my mom left my dad," she whispered so low I had to strain to hear her, "she wouldn't speak to him. She wouldn't let me, either, and kept me away because Angela lied. Said he came on to her—got her drunk and raped her. About a week after my thirteenth birthday, after I refused to see him, we got a call saying he killed himself. I thought he was a rapist. I wanted nothing to do with him."

My hand twitched, I wanted to reach out to her, hold her, but I stopped myself.

"Angela knew everyone would believe her. My mother never even gave my dad a chance to explain. She never once considered he was telling the truth. Everything he had, my mom had given to him and when she left she took it all away. Including me. So you see, Angela ruined my life. My mom's life. So I came here with one intention—to return the favor. "

"I'm sorry that happened to you," I said, though with the frustration shaking my voice, I'm sure my sincerity rang false. And it wasn't, but … "But you say you wanted to return the favor. So that's what this was about? Revenge."

"No! No, I swear. I mean, before I came here … yeah. But after I met you and talked to you no."

"And you expect me to believe that?"

"Do you want me to believe you fucking me wasn't motivated by the fact Angela is clearly fucking that Quil guy?" Oh, that's who must've picked her up. When I didn't answer Bella laughed. "Yeah, I wouldn't point fingers, then."

I let out a bitter laugh. How ironic, one of the best nights, best weeks, of my life was based on a lie, based on something dirty on both ends. Despite that, I couldn't deny how it felt when I woke up alone and decided to address that first. "Why'd you leave last night?"

"I left this morning, actually."

"And this is supposed to make me feel better?" Regardless, she left.

From the corner of my eyes I noticed her shrug. "Didn't want Angela to find out. That would be some good leverage to hold against you."

"I don't understand, gain leverage about what?"

"Last time I checked, you're still legally married, right?"

"Oh."

* * *

><p><strong>So, I think that answers some questions, yes!? <strong>

**Thanks for all the love and pimping, ladies. *Gropes* **

**~Lo :-) **


	12. Chapter 12

**SERVED COLD**

**12.**

It was nothing short of hell on earth for the remainder of our time in Hawaii. While I tried my best to avoid Bella , she did _her_ best to always be in my space.

I wanted to be mad at her, but I couldn't. Short of the fact it would be hypocritical, there was no denying there was something between us. We can lie and say it was the desire to seek revenge, but I knew it was the true driving force behind why we went ahead with what we did.

It was with that realization I knew we'd both fucked up.

Though, in our minds, we got our revenge. In the end, we agreed not to say anything about it. We knew if anything ever came out, we'd both have some heavy shit to face. So while Angela spent the last few days of the trip blissful, the only people me and Bella 's attempt at revenge seemed to hurt was ourselves.

The night before we were supposed to leave, all the women of the house decided to go out, but I of course didn't join them.

Earlier in the day, Angela and I had a huge blowout because she informed me she was changing her mind about what she asked for in court.

Simply put, she wanted the house in Hawaii. Not to mention, just about everything else I owned, too.

She couldn't give me a reason, either, as to why a house she wanted almost nothing to do with before, was suddenly her top priority.

She did admit, though, her original plan was to 'ask me nicely' while we were there. Show me she deserved it more than I did. And by ask nicely I assume she meant she was going to beg and fuck me into submissions. I guess she thought I was still going to be the same guy who did whatever I needed to keep her happy while we we married, then kept on with that to get her out of my face once we split. My response was 'over my dead body.' She'd never showed any interest in the house before. I wasn't about to lay down and just give it to her now. So since she saw that tactic wasn't going to work, she decided she would just fight for it during our divorce proceedings.

As I was packing my things in preparation to leave in the morning, I felt someone behind me and tensed thinking it was Angela. "Get the fuck out. I already told you no about the house."

"Technically, you didn't tell me anything."

I spun around at Bella 's voice. Offering her a small, reluctant smile. "What are you doing here? I thought everyone went out?"

"We did, but I found my way back here. You know, figured you'd want some company?"

My mouth twitched in a bigger smile, remembering the day in the pool like it was a lifetime ago.

"Edward, I—"

"I know."

"We should—"

"Yeah, but …"

"Yeah."

We both chuckled at our half conversation. It was crazy how we knew exactly what the other was thinking.

"I wish things were different."

Sighing, I dropped myself on the bed and opened my arms to her. She rushed over to me, and when she sat on my lap I buried my face in the crook of her neck. "Me, too."

"Can they be?"

I hated to crush her, deny her in any way, but I had to. "I don't see how, baby." I tightened my hold on her. "I slept with you to get back at Angela. And you only slept with me—"

"To get back at Angela."

"Yeah."

"But that was at first. Not even at first. That was just … I don't know … what I told myself?"

I knew the feeling—I felt the same way. Still I found it hard to admit that out loud.

"You're so beautiful." I traced my knuckles against her cheek. "And you deserve so much more than this. More than someone who only used you. More than an old man who won't be able to grow and learn with you."

Her eyes narrowed at me. Hatred, and hurt behind them. "We're bringing up age now?"

"Don't do that," I whispered, holding on to her tighter. "You know that's not what I meant. I wish things, circumstances, were different, but they're not. We'll always have this, though. This time together to remember."

"Promise?"

I wasn't sure what I was promising her exactly, but I nodded. "Promise."

She smiled and leaned over to brush her lips over mine, both our eyes wide and watching the other.

I knew what she wanted, and we didn't exchange words, we didn't need to. We both shed our clothes and climbed under the covers. With my hand resting on her lower back, I guided her to the middle of the bed. Hovering above her, I placed kisses over her face, down her neck, over her chest and licked and sucked on her nipples.

"I promise," I said again, lining myself with her and pushing in slowly.

My strokes weren't forceful, or rough like before but slow, steady, deliberate. We took our time because it wasn't the same. This wasn't a revenge fuck, this was about us. What we wanted. What we needed. Bella was different, too. More sure of herself. Confident

"God." Her voice came out breathy as she nipped and sucked on my bottom lip. Her hands roaming all over my body, legs circled around me. "The way you fuck me …"

I nodded, swiveling my hips against her, my pelvis rubbing against her clit with every pass. "You have no idea how good you feel." I grabbed her hands, lacing our fingers together to bring them over her head. Bending my neck, I went back to dropping soft kisses over the mounds of her breast, flicking my lips against her hard nipples. She jumped, her back arching into me; a mewling sound falling from her hips. Her shoulder's twitched, her attempt to release her hands, so I freed one up—bringing my right to grab a hold of the soft flesh of her breast and latch my mouth around her stronger.

"Yes."

I smiled against her skin, mumbling out, "You like that?"

I didn't hear her response, and I wasn't looking at her to see if she nodded, but I felt her hand at the side of my head, urging me on and her back arching into me. I kept rotating and bucking my hips, and Bella thrusts met mine perfectly.

Feeling the telltale signs of my orgasm approaching, the bubbling feeling in my gut, and the tingling in my limbs, I let go of her hands, removed my mouth from her chest and pulled out of her. I wanted—needed—to relish this moment a little longer. Bella looked … confused, almost panicked.

"What?"

"Give …" I gulped, squeezing my eyes shut, trying to hold myself in. "A second, I need a second. Come here." I squeezed her thigh, rolling on my back. A little hesitant, but with a smirk, she complied, straddling my stomach and placing her hands on my chest. I groaned, and bit my bottom lip. She felt so hot, so wet, against my skin. Even that was threatening to make me come.

Holding back words I couldn't understand but wanted to say, I hooked my hand behind her knee, coaxing her over me. Right there, with her, just us, I didn't want to be anywhere else. I didn't want tomorrow to come. I didn't want to walk away knowing she was going back to California and I would be in Chicago. We'd probably never see each other again. Even if we could, how the hell would we make something like that work? Did we want it to work? Did I? Could I? I couldn't say any of it, though. It wasn't the time, though it should have been. Needed to be.

Focusing on her, on our moment, I brought my gaze back to her as she started rocking back and forth over me. One hand on my chest, the other slapped against the wall above our head, her hips bucked up and down, side to side and in circles. I was doing my best to lift my own hips up, meet her thrust with mine, but I lied back, rested my hands on the side of her thighs and let her run the show.

"I'm not going to …" she shook her head, dropping her hands to my shoulder and her head next to mine. "I want you to …"

"What, baby? Tell me."

She didn't continue her thought, choosing to sit back and continue rocking into me slowly. The entire time, Bella held on to me, looking in to my eyes, trying to convey a message to me. And I think I understood, that silently, in that moment, she was giving herself to me and taking from me all at once.

~OOO~

"We probably won't see each other again once we get back, huh?" Angela looked at me as she gathered her things to get in the cab the next morning.

"Nope."

"Take care of yourself, Edward."

"Yup."

She moved as if she was going to hug me, but the look on my face, and rigid stance stopped her. With a sigh and a slump of her shoulders, Angela slowly walked out the house. She didn't realize I saw the smug glint in her eyes.

I knew why—she was used to always getting her way. What she didn't realize is I was truly done and would fight to death for what was mine. So help me fucking God she wasn't getting this house.

Once everyone left, I let out a breath and took a long slow look around the house. I didn't need a cab; I still had my rental and could take my time. It was a bittersweet moment as I said a silent goodbye to my dream home and thought all about the possibilities that were never going to come to pass.

"So."

I jumped at the sound of Bella 's voice standing in the doorway.

"I guess this is goodbye?"

I didn't ask her how she got back to the house, she always had a way of sneaking back to me.

"Yeah, I guess so."

I was being weak, a coward, for not admitting to feeling more for her. Not admitting our time spent together was fueled by more than revenge. I could see it in her eyes, one word was all it would take for her to be mine. And I'm sure she saw the same look in me. All she had to do was say it.

But neither one of us said anything. Neither one of us admitted it. It broke me to the core watching her walk away, drive away, and disappear out of sight. But I knew if I owed her anything. The best thing I could do for her was let her go.

* * *

><p><strong>THE END!<strong>

**KIDDING! LOL. But no, in an earlier version this was where it ended. Craziness. **

**Sooooo ... what did ya think? :-) **


	13. Chapter 13

**Served cold **

**13.**

"You look like shit."

I looked up from my desk to face a stoic looking Emmett . You knew shit was real when he had a serious look about him.

"Heard you got served more papers. What does she want now?"

"Same shit. The house—well houses. Money."

"That's cold." He shook his head. "Greedy bitch. You know she's going to get _something_ right?"

Yeah, I knew. I'd done my research and my lawyer had explained it a little. The likelihood of Angela getting half of everything wasn't likely. But there was a good chance she would get at least a 70/30 split.

That was actually fine by me.

It would mean she'd end up getting even less than what I was willing to just up and give her before all the petty court shit. And boy had it gotten petty.

"I don't think I care what she gets, as long as she doesn't get the house in Hawaii."

"I thought you were selling it?"

I shrugged. I was, but that wasn't the point. "I'm not okay with her getting something she doesn't deserve and didn't help me get. She can have the Chicago house, she at least pretended to try and make it a home. The Hawaii house is mine. She didn't want it before, so she doesn't just get to have it now."

With a tired sigh, I brought my elbows up on my desk and rested my head against my closed fist.

The past couple months had been shit. I don't even know how he did it, but during the two damn weeks I was away, Caius had moved up to a higher position—essentially making him my boss.

When he wasn't barking orders to everyone or walking around on his power trip, he was making sure to snowball me with clients and stick me with as much bullshit accounts as possible.

Regardless of that, just being back in the city didn't feel right, either. Every day it felt like something was missing. Like _someone_ was missing.

"You talk to—"

"Oh!" I looked up and started shaking my head. "We are not going to have some fucked up talk about feelings and shit like that. That's not what we do."

Doing what he does best, Emmett ignored what I'd asked and walked further into my office, sitting on the edge of the desk.

"You remember how me and Rose met, right?"

I raised my eyebrows slowly, and pursed my lips while trying to think back. They'd met while we were all still in undergrad; at a party I think. Class maybe. Actually, I didn't remember. "Not really."

"She was dating ... I don't remember his name, but remember? She was already with someone."

"Your point?"

"Everyone told me not to trust her—trust it, whatever we were doing. In a way, they were right. There was no reason why we should have worked after all the sneaking around we did, but I'll never forget what you said."

"Which was?" I guess this talk was happening after all.

"Don't be a pussy."

"What the fuck did I do?"

"No." He laughed. "That's what you said. You told me not to be a pussy. Not to make excuses and 'fuck what everybody else had to say.' Do I need to say the same thing to you?"

"You know it's different."

He nodded, a disappointed look etched on his face. "Yeah. It's always different when it comes to ourselves right?" When I didn't answer, he stood up, gave me another nod and tapped his knuckles on the desk before heading to the door. Then, stopping just as he was about to cross over the threshold, he turned around. "Ed, don't be a pussy. It's the best advice you could've given me. If you hadn't and if I never took it, I wouldn't be in the position I am now." _Position?_ With a blank expression, I let him know I had no idea what he was talking about. He smiled. "I wouldn't be getting ready to call myself a dad and you wouldn't be months away from being an uncle."

"No shit?" I grinned. He shrugged with his hands, but the smile on his face was wide as I got up from my seat and reached a hand out to him. "Congrats."

"Thanks."

"So … how's Rose? You know how big is she ... when did they say ..."

"You mean how far along is she?"

"Yes!" We both laughed. "Asshole. You know what I meant."

"The doc said around Thanksgiving."

"In six months, then. You ready?"

"Nope. But I am at the same time."

"I get that."

"So … umm ..." He cleared his throat.

"Yeah?"

"Rose told me to tell you—you should call her."

"Rosalie wants me to call her?" In confusion, I tilted my head, trying to calculate why. We were cool with each other enough that we talked from time to time. Mostly when she was trying to plan a surprise for her crazy husband but Emmett 's birthday had already passed. I frowned. "What happened?"

"No. Rose doesn't want you to call her … well, not really. Just … I mean she said you should call her. Ya know _her._"

Oh. _Her._

"Listen—"

"Don't kill the messenger, man." Both his hands went up, a smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth. "She told me to tell you and I did my job. Now I won't have to lie to her."

"Pussy."

"Really?"

Okay, maybe I had no room to talk. "Anyway." I made my way back to my desk. "Tell Rosalie I got the message."

"And then what do I tell her?"

"That I said congratulations about the baby."

"Anything else?"

"Nope."

I heard a huff, and when I looked at him his nostrils were flaring, but he knew enough by my tone that the conversation was dead. I wasn't mad he told his wife. I had no right to be seeing as how I initiated the conversation about Bella in the first place.

After I had gotten back from Hawaii, they kept getting on me about how I went down there and came back with the same blue balls I left with. Not thinking, I hinted at the fact that wasn't true and with Rosalie as the ringleader, they got it out of me.

I'd told them we'd spoken once, meaning me and Bella , and it was right after we left. It was a simple phone call, one I'd made. One to make sure she truly understood where I was coming from. And she did. She told me thank you, for some reason. That I'd been a lot nicer and kinder than she'd thought. And that no matter what, I deserved someone who, in her words, would be willing to grow with me in the house I'd built as my dream.

I agreed, and hung up, admitting to them that I somewhat wished she had said she would be that person.

That opened the flood gates, but what they refused to understand was that what me and Bella had was a good weekend and nothing else. So I kept trying to tell myself. But she was a senior in college and I was a grown man, going through a divorce, who was too tired and too old to be able to keep up with her.

Rosalie had tried, along with my mother—bless her heart—to explain to me how I wasn't doing Bella any favors by staying away from her. And that I needed to stop acting like I was some sixty-year-old man. I felt like that though at times—at least in comparison to where I was in life ten years ago. I liked going out with my boys from time to time, but the clubs, the parties, I did that shit at length when I was coming up.

Still, even with the protest of causing more harm than good at staying away, they couldn't give me one good thing I'd be doing by trying to make something work with her either.

My life, my experiences had me in a position where I knew I wasn't missing anything out there.

Bella needed to learn that, to live that, too.

Without me and my baggage.

I needed to focus on getting through my divorce. Not dragging her through an emotional gutter with me.

~OOO~

"Cullen vs. Cullen."

As they called our names, I spotted Caius sitting next to Angela and tried not to scowl.

To the untrained eye, I probably looked calm. Standing straight, and facing forward to hear what the judge had to say, but inside I was seething.

I should have known Caius was up to something from jump. Turns out he and Angela had planned him talking me into going on the vacation. I'll never understand it, though—what her actual plan was. It wasn't like she'd tried to seduce me, other than that one time. And I wouldn't even call that seduction; she rubbed her hand on my chest and then we almost got into a fight.

But Caius's plans seemed to hinder on me being away. It gave him time to weasel his way into that position, having had some knowledge of a lay off that was about to go down.

Over the past three months, since we'd been back, Angela had pulled out all stops in court to paint me as a horrible, cheating monster, controlling and abusive. She even went as far as accusing me of sleeping with her sister. Saying that she had proof, which obviously never surfaced. But with Caius as her lackey, he co-signed the fact he had heard me and 'some colleagues' planning it all out.

Hypocrites.

Plus, they were obviously way off. I most certainly did not fuck her sister and every time she said it, I wanted to blurt out, 'Wrong family member.'

But that didn't matter.

I don't know how her and her lawyer did, but when all was said and done Angela walked away with more than half of everything I owned—including but not limited to the house in Chicago.

If it wasn't for my guilty conscience getting the best of me, I would have fought harder. But at that point, all I wanted was to be done with it all—with her, the divorce … everything. And finally be able to move on with my life.

The only moment of victory I had, was that though she fought for the Hawaii house, she didn't get it. Not in property, but in assets and only because her name was on it, too. I was ordered to sell it and split the profits.

Tired of the drama, and fearing she would find a way to get her grubby hands on the house in Hawaii, I went ahead and put it on the market in the hopes of a short sale.

In record time, I received a phone call from my realtor saying we had a cash offer. A very low cash offer—almost worse than a short sale—neither of us would make money off of, but that didn't seem to bother me as much as it would have previously.

I did everything I could to get the sale of the house settled from long distance, but no matter how much I argued, my real estate agent was adamant that per the buyers request we close in person.

After all the haggling I couldn't understand why the buyers would have such demanding request, knowing I wasn't local.

A part of me wondered if this was one of Angela's last tricks.

Since the customer's always right and all, it was with a heavy heart and lots of aggravation that I made my way back there.

The anticipation of it being my last trip to Hawaii had me making the decision to cope without the assistance of meds. Instead, getting lost in the excitement of takeoff, the serenity of flying through the clouds, and beauty of the area as we landed was enough to calm my nerves.

When I drove up to the house, I was confused to find the door wide open, and no realtor or buyer in sight.

"Hello?" My voice shook a bit. This is the type of shit horror flicks are made of.

"You know …"

I jumped and turned around quickly, nearly falling at the sound of the voice.

My heart raced faster and my smile wide once I saw who it was.

"Hey, sweet girl."

* * *

><p><strong>Only one more chapter left after this one! Thanks for the fun ride :-) <strong>


	14. Chapter 14

**Served cold**

**14.**

"I really wanted to find a sexy real estate agent outfit," Bella purred, fingering at the collar of her shirt. "But—" she shook her head, wrinkling her nose "—this librarian, school girl combination one is the closest thing I found." When I didn't answer, still dumbfounded by that fact she was there. She pouted, her adorable, pout.

"You're here," I said, dumbly.

"Surprise." She winked. "That's okay right? I mean, you did say time and time again you would move to Hawaii if you had a reason to. Personally, I can't think of a better reason than starting over. Away from certain eyes."

"You shouldn't—you didn't have …" I couldn't work out my train of thought. My heart was beating so hard and loud, I felt like I could hear it. And my cheeks were hurting from the smile that hadn't dropped from my face. "How'd you even …" I waved a hand around the house.

"Oh, don't worry, my mom helped me buy this place."

"Really? Why?"

"Angela was planning to buy it."

I snorted, not at all surprised that she would try and get it through an agent despite losing it in court. But … "Poor house, it was only bought out of revenge." I smirked, again hoping she knew I was slightly teasing.

"Yeah, but it comes with the ultimate prize."

"And what's that?"

"I'll give you one guess." She smirked, strutting over to me.

I met her halfway, bringing my arm around her waist when our bodies collided. For a moment, I just held her. Squeezing her so tight, I feared I might crush her. It was one of the moments you don't realize how much you missed someone until they're present and in your face—tangible. "God, it's good to see you."

"I'm glad." The emotions behind her voice had me turning her around, kicking the door closed with me feet, and pinning her back to the wall so she could face me "Hi."

I hitched one of her legs over my hip, and smiled. "Hi." I skimmed her panty-line with the back of my knuckles, biting my lip at feeling the heat of her pussy.. "Damn." There was so much to say, but I couldn't worry about that now. She was already getting wet and I needed her. From her smile, and breathing hitching at my touch, I could tell she needed me, too.

Rotating my wrist, I slid my palm underneath the fabric of her panties, biting back a moan as my digits made contact with her already slick flesh. Bella 's head fell back, hitting the wall as a hiss escaped her mouth. I bent down, nipping and biting at her neck; swiping over her skin with my tongue to soothe the sting of my teeth. "I'm gonna make love to you, baby." I promised her with a mumble "But first …"

She let out a squeal and giggle as I grabbed behind her thighs and hoisted her higher on my body. Our lips came together in a clash of lips, and teeth; both of our bodies moving with the force of the deepening of the kiss.

"What were you saying?"

I grunted out a response, releasing my hold on her thighs to let her slide down the wall. Then, walking us backwards toward the living room, I stopped when we reached the couch and spun her around so her back was pushed against my chest. Bringing my hands around, I cupped at Bella 's breast using the tips of my fingers to pull down the top of her shirt and dipped my head to brush my lips and the tip of my tongue against the skin of her neck. She leaned into my touch, spurring me on to grip at her tits, and pinch at her nipples tighter. Her ass poking out and rubbing against my groin had my dick hardening more, and pushing against my pants begging to be released. It was painful at that point, and if I didn't get inside of her right at that moment, there was a good chance I was just going to blow it right there in my pants.

I repeated my words to her—that I was going to make love to her later— but first I needed her and quickly. Lifting her skirt, I used one finger to move her thong to the side and freed myself, sliding my dick inside of her with ease. On contact, we both let out gasps of pleasure and relief. It was like I'd missed her, my dick had missed her, but at the same time like we hadn't had any time apart.

With one hand holding on to her hips, and the other against the back of the couch, I bucked my hips, barely giving her time to get used to me.

"Where'd this couch come from?" I thrust into her deep, smacking one side of her ass. Her giggle turned into a gasp at that as she threw her ass back harder into me. "The couch." I did it again—the smacking—then brought my hands back to her hips to hold on. Digging, and curling my hands into her skin.

"It's umm –" Another deep thrust cut her off, making her words turn into a string of pants.

"That feel good?" Also panting, I slid my hand up her back to bring it around her neck and grabbed a handful of hair. Giving it a good tug, I asked, "Does it?"

"Yes! Yes!"

"How good?" I slowed down, skimming my fingers to her stomach and lower to her pussy. "How good, baby?" Rubbing at her clit, I sucked and licked at the skin of her back, smiling at her every squirm. With each groan, grunt and cry I could feel her pussy clenching around me, hear her breathing become ragged.

Her words, her chanting, were like a spell to me and I could feel my stomach muscles tensing, my balls tightening. But my goal had quickly changed and I wasn't content to just fuck her, finish with her so quickly. Without giving her warning, I pulled out, and dropped to my knees grabbing a hold of her shaking thighs. She was quick to start protesting but stopped when I pulled her panties down her legs and flicked my tongue down her slit, anchoring myself with a nice hold on her ass.

"Damn …" I breathed out, groaning as her juices started coating my tongue, her body jerking with every stroke. Taking a chance, I moved my face away, to coat one finger with her wetness, and brought my face back to that sweet spot, then my finger up to tease at her ass. As soon as I pushed in a little, the tip of my finger getting surrounded by heat, Bella let out a strangled gasp, then a scream and the slight trembling from before turned into full blown shaking. I couldn't stop, feeling her coming harder, her body spasming and getting so wet she was dripping. I loved every second of it, even though my dick felt like it might explode at any second.

Moving my face away, I smiled, letting Bella collapse backward on the couch. With a heaving chest, and lazy smile she reached out for me, out for my dick, but I stopped her. I was already at the edge, her touching it, licking it, shit even the way she was looking at me was enough to almost push me over.

"Just lay back." My voice came out low, husky, and I could feel my eyelids struggling to stay wide. They were hooded like Bella 's and again I couldn't stop smiling knowing I did that to her. "You're sexy, you know that?" I reached behind me and pulled my shirt over my head. Moving so I was leaning against the couch on one knee, and my other foot flat on the floor, I used my knee to ease her legs open wider, and stared at her glistening pussy. I started stroking myself, rubbing the tip of my dick against her clit, and she jumped back wincing. Since I knew I didn't hurt her, just that she was sensitive, I smirked slowly plunging my dick back inside her. I had to grit my teeth and close my eyes, my chin dropping to my chest as I struggled to handle my breathing. After lapping at her, feasting on her pussy like I had been, she was wet and I could hear every single stroke.

I opened my mouth to say … something, but it stayed gape in a silent scream when I felt her clenching around me again. "Shit, baby. Another one?"

She nodded, pushing up on her elbows to meet my thrust, her eyes crossing a little. I think on anyone else it would have looked strange, but on Bella it just made me feel good—like I was putting it on her so good that she didn't care enough to control any crazy facial expressions.

"Har-harder." She grabbed at my ass, trying to get me deeper, but as soon as I fell a little to the right, hitting an even sweeter spot inside her, everything inside of me tensed. I couldn't move, wasn't moving on my own as noises fell from my mouth, my orgasm taking over, and my body shuddering. I felt like it went on forever, before I fell on top of her, barely having any energy to hold any weight off her small frame.

After catching my breath, I managed to flip us over. A cheesy grin stayed on my face as I laid there with Bella draped over my chest. I wished I could take her to a bed, relax more, but there was no other furniture in the house. All my belongings had long since been sold. Deep in thought, I absentmindedly traced small circles over the soft skin of her shoulder trying to process things. It was all a little crazy to me—how this all came to be. I couldn't figure it out, couldn't piece the events together in my head to put us where we are now.

"So, what do you want to know?"

Sitting up on my elbows to get a better look at her, I smiled. "How could you tell I was thinking about something?"

"Just could."

"Okay, how'd you guys go about the house—well, finding out Angela wanted it?"

"I heard about what happened in court. I'm sorry. I don't think anyone thought she'd actually win anything." I shrugged, not having much to say about it because such was life. "Anyway, my mom wanted to give Angela one last fuck you first, so we could all move on."

"Does she know about us? Your mom, I mean."

"She … does," she answered, her voice wary. "Why?"

"And is she okay with it?"

"Does it matter?"

Knowing there was more behind the question, I took a moment to process the best way to answer her. With the way we started the odds were against us. The age difference, people's judgment we were bound to get. We were up against a lot, we both knew this. But did it really matter? To me, not one damn bit.

Smiling, I repeated the words she'd once said to me—amending it a little to fit how I felt in the moment. "As long as _we're _happy, I guess it doesn't, in the long run, huh?"

**_The end ... _**

* * *

><p><strong>And that's a wrap! Thank you guys sooooooo much for rocking with me on yet another fic. I did a quick run through in my head and since I've started posting in January 2012 I've posted roughly 17 stories (a combo of one shots, full fics, and drabbles) … They're scattered between the different sites and my blog with the exception of the first few, I think. 'Cause bless my heart …you know how first fics usually go lol <strong>

**If you're looking for a PDF of something and don't see it on the blog feel free to holler at me. Some are in the process of being converted into other stuff, but I'll still gladly send them.**

**Anyway, I know I've tapered off big time this year, and that happens sometimes, but I'm still here, lurking in the shadows and writing fic when I can. I know for most that's more than enough :- ) For the others … well, you'll live. **

**What am I posting next? On this page … I have no idea. Posting this was a surprise. But I will say that I AM writing for the May to December Romance Contest hosted by Carrie ZM and **Nicffwhisperer **. Put that shit on alert. You won't want to miss these entries. Trust me.**

**Until Next time,**

**Much Love,**

**And thanks for a crazy (almost) 3 years.**

**~Lo**


End file.
